Holiday Activities & Food Programme

Holidays Are Fun (HAF) Programme

All children and young people aged 5 to 16 years old who live in Stockton-on-Tees and are in receipt of benefits-related free school meals are eligible to take up a place for holiday activities, including a meal over the holidays.

What is the programme?

The programme is delivered by Catalyst in partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, funded and monitored by the Department for Education,  and offers a wide range of activities such as sports, martial arts, bushcraft, film, and podcasting making, arts and crafts, cooking, swimming, and horse riding in the school holidays. The HAF programme offers a wide range of support for families and goes well beyond the delivery of food and activities: it’s a point of contact for children and families during holiday periods that can be vital for them in accessing support and services.

What are the HAF Programmes intended outcomes?

• improved mental health and emotional wellbeing
• improved aspirations
• improved physical activity
• improved dietary behaviour

What are the main benefits of the HAF Programme?

• the schemes encourage children to be more active over the holidays
• improvements in children’s diets
• making new friends and having fun
• helps parents meet the costs of school holidays

We also run our own initiative through school half terms in Stockton (HEP) which is again in partnership with Stockton Borough Council and runs under the same concept of that with the Department for Education, however this is funded through Public Health, Stockton.

These programmes constantly evolve to meet the needs of a changing society and we are always looking for creative and thought provoking ways to engage young people across the borough.

Contact details:

If you are interested in becoming one of our amazing providers please contact Rebekah Jennings  Rebekah.Jennings@catalyststockton.org

If you have any general HAF queries please contact our HAF team at HAF@catalyststockton.org