A holiday full of fun, food and friends
From rugby and museum trips to cookery lessons and camping, free activities are available for children across the county through Oxfordshire County Council’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme this summer.
Open to all children aged four to sixteen in receipt of free school meals, the programme offers up to sixteen sessions of enriching activities over the summer holidays.
Each session lasts at least four hours and includes at least 60 minutes of physical activity, practical advice on eating well, and a healthy meal.
Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “This programme provides free activities and meals for more than 18,000 children and young people in Oxfordshire who are eligible for free school meals and is something we have introduced in response to the closure of the national Holiday Free School Meal voucher scheme. It helps support children’s health and wellbeing while reducing holiday hunger and social isolation and is just another example of how we are working to tackle health inequalities across the county.
“By taking part in activities such as these, children can build confidence, try new things and stay engaged during the holidays, while they can also give families extra support and access to opportunities they might not otherwise have. Sign up now!”
Activities include sport, arts and crafts, museum visits, science, outdoor adventures, nature-based learning and cookery sessions.
Sessions are being delivered by local organisations in communities across Oxfordshire, with a wide range of options available to suit different ages and interests.
Families can find and book activities by visiting the HAF platform, where eligibility will be checked automatically against existing records. The website includes full details of the activities available in different areas of the county.
Anyone with questions about the programme can email HAF@oxfordshire.gov.uk.
Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.