Through the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, funded by the Department of Education and facilitated by Catalyst in partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Billingham Environmental Link Programme (BELP) were able to offer some much needed face to face sessions with families in the Clarence’s.
Thanks to their amazing Community Gardens we have plenty of outdoor space to deliver activities in a Covid safe manner, and using the Department for Education guidance around physical activity they made sure there was plenty of exercise! In fairness, most days it was that cold we needed to run around to keep warm!
All young people who attended had a healthy balanced packed lunch (with some Easter treats) as well as lots of additional activities to carry out at home.
The sessions were also a fantastic example of partnership working and collaboration, with other Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise providers and the Town Council in Billingham meeting up prior to applying and ensuring there was no duplication and that activities across the area complemented each other, with Billingham Boxing Academy coming on board to help BELP deliver some of the sessions.
BELP’s sessions were also supported by their local Tesco store and they benefitted from an amazing donation of Easter eggs from Tees Valley Together.
Jmes Hadman, BELP Director of Operations said “Feedback from the families was amazing and we look forward to the opportunity to provide similar sessions in the future!”