Help available for families in East Riding for Christmas

Applications are now open for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Christmas grant scheme.

The HAF programme, part of East Riding of Yorkshire Council's Help for Households offering, is designed to provide free school holiday activities for children aged 5-16 who receive benefits-related free school meals.

Children can attend four free activities at Christmas, four at Easter and 16 in the summer holidays, with a meal provided at each session.

For the Christmas holidays, organisations can claim up to £5,000 from the council to offer activities such as sport, play, drama, cooking, crafts, dance, music, art or outdoor adventures.

The money can be spent on things such as staff, venues, equipment, volunteer expenses, food, marketing and trips.

Councillor Victoria Aitken, portfolio holder for children, families and education, said: "We’re really pleased to be supporting the Holiday Activities and Food scheme again, as we know Christmas can be a difficult time for many families, financially.

“We hope as many businesses, charities, schools and local groups as possible apply for HAF funding to help children learn about food, have fun, keep active and make lasting memories".

To apply for a Christmas grant, visit eryc.link/HAFflexigrant. The deadline for applications is noon on Monday, September 25.

For an informal chat about grants, email Vicky Jude, the council’s HAF commissioning and quality monitoring officer, at [email protected]

Visit here for more information.