Families on free school meals are being urged to take advantage of Oldham's free upcoming holiday activities this winter as schools prepare to break up this week.

As the cost of living crisis piles more pressure on households at a time when we should all be excited to spend time with our loved ones, the reality is bleak for many.

With difficult choices being made over whether to eat or keep warm, this is shaping up to be one of the hardest periods families have experienced in decades – particularly those on lower incomes.

But thanks to Oldham’s ongoing Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, there are free holiday activities for more than 14,000 children aged five to 16 across the borough who are currently in receipt of benefits-related free school meals.

The council has been working with a number of local providers over recent months to host a programme of activities and excursions for eligible young people to enjoy, with the latest sessions taking place between 17 December and 6 January.

'We know this winter is going to be extremely tough' 

Councillor Eddie Moores, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We know this winter is going to be extremely tough and many families are already struggling to make ends meet.

“Some parents and carers are having to take on additional jobs just to keep a roof over their head and to feed their children, meaning there will probably be fewer of the niceties that come at this time of year.

“But we are here to help, and our Holiday Activities and Food programme will offer proper respite to families who may be struggling to afford the added costs that come during the school holidays.

“That is why we are strongly urging residents to take up our offer as our HAF programme is fantastic and our young people can enjoy this all at no cost, with healthy meals provided at every session to ensure no child goes hungry this winter either.”

Eligible households have already been sent a letter informing them of their programme entitlement and how to book their free places, although some may not have received their entitlement letter just yet due to recent postal strikes, in which case parents and carers are being advised to sit tight as their letter should arrive very soon.

How to book activities 

To book activities, parents and carers can browse an events guide via www.oldham.gov.uk/HAF and contact HAF providers directly using a unique code issued as part of their letter.

Eligibility for the programme is set by the Department for Education, meaning free places are only on offer to children who receive benefits-related free school meals.

Those who aren’t eligible for free places are advised to contact our HAF providers directly however, as there may be additional places available at a small cost, with details of these providers listed on our website.

In the meantime, the council say it has been working on an additional offer to support families who are not entitled to the HAF programme.

“We understand many more families are struggling across our borough, including those with children who are not eligible for free school meals,” Cllr Moores added.

“That is why we have been working hard to create an additional offer with local partners to ensure other families can access similar activities over the coming weeks.”

So far this offer has included opportunities to watch 'The Night The Frost Fell'  by Oldham Theatre Workshop, tickets to watch Oldham Athletic on Tuesday 20 December against Gateshead, and tickets to play at Summit Up.

Families are advised to follow Oldham Council’s website and social media channels for more updates on how they can access this offer.

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