Shropshire Star

Telford council to support free children's holiday activities

Nine organisations are being supported in hosting free children’s holiday activities throughout the year.

Published

The help, from Telford & Wrekin Council, helps families to cope with the financial pressures of school holidays.

Brookside Big Local, Donnington Partnership, Great Dawley Town Council and many others are among the groups which successfully bid for funding to provide nutritious meals and a wide range of children’s holiday activities for families in the borough, who may struggle financially during the holidays.

The organisations received funding from the £50,000 ‘Holiday Activities and Eat Well’ fund.

Sam Pitch, from Brookside Big Local said: “This funding helped us to organise lots of holiday games and activities for children of different ages, from sports and crafts to cooking.

“It means we can support low income families in our community, who otherwise find the school holidays a struggle.

“We help keep children entertained, eating healthy meals and getting ready for the start of the new school term.

“Our cooking club has been particularly well received – with children learning from an expert how to cook nutritious food."

Brookside Big Local is delivering the activities in partnership with Stirchley & Brookside Parish Council, Shropshire Youth Association, Telford Church, Telford Baden Powell Scouts and Brookside Central.

Councillor Raj Mehta, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for community and inclusivity said: “Last year the council trialled working with a number of community groups to provide school holiday activities.

“Based on the positive feedback received, we’ve extended this project this year so that many more children can benefit during school holidays, when some families struggle to make ends meet. We are working closely with all organisations.” receiving the funding, to ensure that throughout all school holidays this year, children and families under financial strain can benefit from what’s on offer.

“We encourage anyone interested to go on telford.gov.uk/haewfund where they will find a list of all organisations taking part in the programme, with contact details to get in touch and find out more about the clubs running in their area.”

Earlier this year, the council has made £50,000 available for community organisations to bid for to run holiday activities with nutritious food for children and young people in 11 wards across the borough.

This initiative is one of a number of schemes funded by a one-off £3.6 million fund announced earlier this year, following changes to the council’s finances including a one-off VAT refund.

These include an additional £1m for Pride in Our High Streets, £1m to regenerate some of the borough’s older estates, £500k to tackle issues on two of Telford’s biggest new housing estates, £300k to help improve public transport and £100k to improve rights of way in the borough.