Holiday Activities and Food Programme

Holiday activities for children

Children and young people across the district may be eligible for free school holiday club places and a meal.

The government’s Holiday Activities and Food Programme takes place during:

  • Easter
  • Summer
  • Christmas

We have provided additional money to provide further holiday activities during the following half terms:

  • February
  • May
  • October

HAF enables children and young people to enjoy fun activities with friends and develop new skills.

Who is eligible?

The activities are for those who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals.

Other eligibility can include:

  • 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.

If a child is not eligible, most providers offer paid for spaces.

How can I book activities?

Please note that from the May 2024 half term onwards, we are using the online booking system Eequ. Guardians of eligible children can book spaces for HAF activities through our Eequ profile:

Book a HAF activity online

If you have any queries, please email HAFenquiries@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk.

Contact us

If you need any support, please contact our HAF Coordinator Rachel Cattermole on HAFenquiries@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Timetable of activities

We update this webpage with information about holiday activities available for children, as and when they happen.

We will update this webpage with information about holiday activities available for children, as and when they happen.

Please note that the table below contains activities that are taking place in the districts of Babergh and Mid Suffolk.

Book a HAF activity online

 

Holiday Activities

Dates

Summary

Provider

Venue

Contact

23 Dec, 2 Jan & 3 Jan

Holiday club involving multi-sports, arts, and crafts. 9am – 5pm (early drop-off and late pick-up available)

Kicks and Tricks

Grace Cook Primary School, Stowmarket IP14 1XJ

Visit Kicks and Tricks’ website 
Email info@kicksandtricks.co.uk
Phone 01449 401630

23 Dec, 2 Jan & 3 Jan

Holiday club involving multi-sports, arts, and crafts. 9am – 5pm (early drop-off and late pick-up available)

Kicks and Tricks

Beaumont Primary School, Hadleigh IP7 6GD

Visit Kicks and Tricks’ website 
Email info@kicksandtricks.co.uk
Phone 01449 401630

23 Dec & 2 Jan

Multi-activity courses including a range of sports, activities, arts and crafts. For 5-12 year olds

Premier Education

St Peter's and St Pauls Church Street, Eye, Suffolk IP23 7BD

Visit Premier Education's website

Email info@premier-education.com

Phone 01953 499040

23 Dec, 2 Jan & 3 Jan

Multi-activity courses including a range of sports, activities, arts and crafts. For 5-12 year olds

Premier Education

Debenham Sports & Leisure Centre, Gracechurch Street, Debenham, IP14 6BL

Visit Premier Education's website

Email info@premier-education.com

Phone 01953 499040

23 Dec – 3 Jan

Family swim session, Playworld and Roller Discos. For primary school ages

Everyone Active

Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre, Gainsborough Road, Stowmarket IP14 1LH

Visit Everyone Active's website

Phone 01449 674980

Email trinityrose@everyoneactive.com

3 Jan

Soccer school including football skills, inflatable games and mini matches. For 6-12 year olds

Ipswich Town Foundation

Stowupland High School Sports Centre, Church Road, Stowmarket IP14 4BQ

Visit Ipswich Town Foundation's website

Phone 01473 400980

Email community@itfc.co.uk

23, 24, 30 & 31 Dec, 2 & 3 Jan

Holiday club involving football, multi-sports, arts and crafts, mini chefs, dodgeball. For 5-12 year olds

Anglia Sports Management

Brantham Leisure Centre, Brantham CO11 1RZ

Visit Anglia Sports Management's website

Email info@angliasportsmanagement.com

Phone 01206 392506

21 & 22 Dec

Family park cooking involving family activities, an outdoor cooking class, and a food box for a family of four. With recipes from a local chef. For 5+ years

Abbeycroft

Stevenson Centre, Stevenson Approach, Great Cornard, CO10 0WD

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

21 & 22 Dec

Family park cooking involving family activities, an outdoor cooking class, and a food box for a family of four. With recipes from a local chef. For 5+ years

Abbeycroft

1st Combs Scout Hut, Combs Wood Drive, Stowmarket, IP14 2RJ

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

21 & 23 Dec

Adventure days introducing alternative physical activity through outdoor activities. For 8-12 year olds

Abbeycroft

3rd Sudbury Scout Hut, 6 Quay Lane, Sudbury, CO10 2AN

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

21 & 23 Dec

Adventure days introducing alternative physical activity through outdoor activities. For 8-12 year olds

Abbeycroft

1st Combs Scout Group, Combs Wood Drive, Stowmarket IP14 2RJ

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

21 Dec – 5 Jan

Swimming Family Offer & Teen Offer

Abbeycroft

Hadleigh Pool & Leisure Centre, Hadleigh, IP7 5BH

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

21 Dec – 5 Jan

Swimming Family Offer & Teen Offer

Abbeycroft

Kingfisher Leisure Centre, Sudbury, CO10 2SU

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Food and activity boxes for Christmas Dinner and Boxing Day lunch. For families of four

Abbeycroft

Kingfisher Leisure Centre, Sudbury, CO10 2SU

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Food and activity boxes for Christmas Dinner and Boxing Day lunch. For families of four

Abbeycroft

Hadleigh Pool & Leisure Centre, Hadleigh, IP7 5BH

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Food and activity boxes for Christmas Dinner and Boxing Day lunch. For families of four

Abbeycroft

Glemsford Village Hall, Tye Green, Glemsford, CO10 7RH

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Food and activity boxes for Christmas Dinner and Boxing Day lunch. For families of four

Abbeycroft

Sports Pavilion, Bridge Street, Lavenham, CO10 9SH

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Food and activity boxes for Christmas Dinner and Boxing Day lunch. For families of four

Abbeycroft

Red Gables, Ipswich Road, Stowmarket, IP14 1BE

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Food and activity boxes for Christmas Dinner and Boxing Day lunch. For families of four

Abbeycroft

Woolpit Village Hall, Mill Lane, Woolpit, IP30 9QX

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Food and activity boxes for Christmas Dinner and Boxing Day lunch. For families of four

Abbeycroft

The Bank, 2 Castle Street, Eye, IP23 7AN

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Food and activity boxes for Christmas Dinner and Boxing Day lunch. For families of four

Abbeycroft

Needham Market Community Centre, School Street, Needham Market, IP6 8BB

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Food and activity boxes for Christmas Dinner and Boxing Day lunch. For families of four

Abbeycroft

Debenham Sports & Leisure Centre, Gracechurch Street, Debenham, IP14 6BL

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

Become a provider

We have been allocated £134,892.59 for the 2023-2024 Holiday Activities and Food Programme.

There are 2,349 means tested free school meal children in the district (March 2022 statistics).

How can I become a provider?

If you are interested in providing activities for us, then you will need to apply for funding by completing an online application. 

  • If you are a new provider, please complete both Form A and Form B
  • If you have previously completed Form A within the last financial year - and have been approved - please complete Form B

Please see the deadlines for each application period:

  • Easter – application deadline 10 February
  • Summer – application deadline 9 June
  • Christmas – application deadline 20 October

If you have any questions about the application process, please email HAFenquiries@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

What are the requirements?

The requirements follow the Department for Education’s minimum standards, which include:

  • A school standard meal (ideally a hot meal)
  • Four hours of activities
  • One hour of physical activity
  • Some form of nutritional education
  • Providing signposting to families onto further services, if needed

Where can I learn more?

The Department for Education have published information about the HAF programme.

How we use your information

We will use the information you provide only for the purpose of this grant funds application. We will store the information securely in line with data protection laws. Please read our privacy policy for more information.