Hampshire Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) information

Providing support to families across the county throughout the school holiday period

The Holiday Activities and Food Programme

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme is a government sponsored scheme offering enriching activities and healthy meals to children from reception to year 11 during the Easter, Summer, and Christmas school holidays. Hampshire County Council and the Isle of Wight Council deliver it through the Connect4Communities programme.

You can find out more about the HAF scheme on the Department for Education (DfE) website.

Eligibility

Our Holiday Activities and Food scheme supports Hampshire-based children from reception to year 11 who qualify for Free School Meals (FSM).

More information on Free School Meals including how to receive this support can be found on Hampshire County Council's free school meals page.

Other children and families

Local authorities have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for children who are not in receipt of benefits-related free school meals but who the local authority believe could benefit from HAF provision.

This may include, for example:

  • children assessed by the local authority as being in need, at risk or vulnerable
  • young carers
  • looked-after children or previously looked after children
  • children with an EHC (education, health and care) plan
  • children who have low attendance rates at school or who are at risk of exclusion
  • children living in areas of high deprivation or from low-income households who are not in receipt of free school meals
  • children in transition phases between nursery and primary school or primary and secondary school

Universal infant free school meals

All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 in England’s state-funded schools receive a free meal under the Department for Education (DfE) universal infant free school meal (UIFSM) policy.

Infant pupils who receive a free meal under UIFSM must also be eligible for benefits-related FSM to be able to access a place on the HAF programme.

Finding an activity

Visit Find an activity to locate an activity in your local area. You will be taken to the Hampshire Family Information and Services Hub, where you can explore providers. Make your booking by contacting the providers using the information supplied.

Aims of the HAF programme

As a result of the programme, we want children to:

  • receive healthy and nutritious meals
  • maintain a healthy level of physical activity
  • be happy, have fun and meet new friends
  • develop a greater understanding of food, nutrition and other health-related issues
  • take part in fun and engaging activities that support their development
  • feel safe and secure
  • get access to the right support services
  • return to school feeling engaged and ready to learn

Families can also benefit when HAF providers include their needs in planning and delivering their programme. This could be through:

  • providing opportunities to get involved in cookery classes
  • ensuring they are signposted towards other sources of information and support, such as health services or employment and education opportunities

What we offer

The HAF scheme is funded by the DfE to provide engaging activities and nutritious meals during the school holidays to children who would normally receive FSM. If your child would normally receive FSM, you do not have to pay for these activity days.

A core ambition of the HAF scheme is to promote the education of living a healthy lifestyle. This begins with healthy eating habits, and each of our providers are required to supply a healthy meal for free.

The providers will cater for children with specific cultural, religious, and allergy-related dietary requirements. Pre-booking is required.

Safety

All HAF providers have been awarded their funded places because they have demonstrated to Hampshire HAF team that they will provide and maintain a safe environment in which to participate.

Check with the activity providers to see if you should remain on-site or nearby for the duration of the activity.

Further information

If you have more questions about a specific activity contact the providers.  

If you have any further questions or concerns contact [email protected]