Holiday Activities and Food (HAF): Information for parents and carers
Overview
Bowling (HAF)
Bowling (HAF)
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Children and young people who are eligible for benefit related free school meals in South Tyneside can attend free activity sessions throughout the 2024 / 2025 winter holidays.
The activities and food provision will take place at various venues from Monday 23 December 2024 until Friday 3 January 2025.
All events are subject to availability and booking is essential:
The sessions will include:
- a variety of fun activities
- exciting opportunities to learn and develop skills
- a nutritious meal each day
- additional creative and cooking classes
Who can attend
To be eligible to attend the free Winter Holiday Club activities, children and young people must:
- be eligible for benefit related free school meals.
- be aged 5 to 16 years old or up to 18 with SEND (SEND children must still qualify for free school meals)
- live or go to school in South Tyneside
The Winter Holiday Clubs are funded by the Department for Education's holiday activities and food programme 2024.
As part of this funding, the criteria states that children must be in receipt of benefit related free school meals.
Book a place
All activities on the Winter Holiday Activities and Food Programme can be booked via Plinth.
Visit the Plinth website Plinth: Winter HAF 2024 Holiday Club Events for dates, ages, and more information about our Winter HAF programme.
To book you will need to create an account and select your activities on Plinth.
All events are subject to availability and booking is essential.
Activities include:
- football and other camps offering a wide range of sports
- ice skating
- bowling
- musical theatre, dance, and drama workshops
- our new 'Teen Ticket' which allows teenagers access to many attractions across South Tyneside
If you find you're unable to attend an activity after you've booked please let us know. There's high demand for places and we will then be able to give your place to another child or family that really need it.
Please email the team on HAF@southtyneside.gov.uk or call 0191 424 0118.
Other activities taking place
View the other activities taking place across South Tyneside, if you're not eligible for the HAF programme:
Other things to do
Family walking and activity trails
Stretch your legs, get some fresh air, and enjoy some family time. Each walk has activities to do and sights to see along the way. Suitable for the whole family.
Visit South Tyneside: Walking trails
10 minute Shake Up games
Public Health England has teamed up with Disney to help get kids active throughout the holidays.
Local TV Northeast videos
Local TV Northeast brings you energetic, fun bitesize content aimed for a healthier body and mind. From toddlers to teenagers, enjoy activities from arts and crafts, cookery, and fitness, to music, mindfulness and languages and everything in-between.
The programmes include:
- The Get Up and Go Show - suitable for 4 to 8 year olds
- The Lunchtime Club - suitable for 9 to 12 year olds
- The Holiday Hub - suitable for 12 to 16 year olds
What's on around South Tyneside
For more events and activities to enjoy around South Tyneside, see the events calendar.
More inspiration
For further inspiration on how to spend your time in South Tyneside, and to discover the area's attractions, outdoor spaces, and places to eat and drink, go to the Visit South Tyneside website.
Recipe ideas
There are also some nutritious, tasty and simple recipe ideas at Food - A Fact Of Life: Recipes.
Marcus Rashford and Tom Kerridge have set up 'Full Time: Get Cooking with Marcus & Tom'. They want to help give children and families the skills and confidence to cook good, proper food in their own kitchens, using the equipment available to them. Visit Full Time: Get Cooking with Marcus and Tom.
Get the family involved and make tasty meals from scratch. Visit NHS: Change4Life.
For ideas on how to help your family cut back on sugar, visit NHS: Change4Life sugar swaps.
Free NHS Food Scanner app
Download the free NHS Food Scanner app and find healthier swaps for next time you shop.
Just scan the barcodes of your family's favourite foods, swipe to see the healthier options available and make a swap next time you shop. Scan, swipe, swap.