Free holiday activities and healthy food for disadvantaged children will continue to be provided across Tameside.

Tameside Council’s Cabinet has approved the arrangements for the extended Holiday Activity and Food programme (HAF) to ensure that low income households are supported.

The Department for Education has agreed to continue its funding due to "its impressive engagement rates, extensive food rollout programme and public purse savings". 

A HAF co-ordinator will remain in place to oversee the project and Active Tameside will carry on delivering activities and nutritious meals.

The council says Tameside's initiative to tackle food poverty, deprivation and social inequalities has proved incredibly successful in supporting thousands of young people and their families, who have given positive feedback.

All children in receipt of benefits related Free School Meals are eligible for the support in the Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays.

Local authorities have flexibility about how they spend their grant and deliver the provision to best serve the needs of the children and families in their areas.

Councillor Leanne Feeley, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Education, Achievement and Equalities, said: “I’m delighted that this hugely successful partnership project in Tameside will continue to receive funding, enabling us to put arrangements in place to carry on providing support to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“Thanks to our work with Active Tameside, schools and the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector, we have been able to create a Holiday Activity and Food programme that has benefitted thousands of young people and their families with healthy and nutritious meals and activities that help them keep fit and engaged.

“The programme has received praise from those taking part and has been recognised as one of the most effective schemes of its kind nationally. I’d like to thank everyone involved for its continuing success.”

For more information on HAF, visit www.activetameside.com/active-tameside-community

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