Isle Of Wight Council Supports Food And Activity Schemes This Christmas

The Isle of Wight Council's Christmas Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme is back for 2024.

The programme offers a wide range of activities to entertain children and young people over the festive break.

It also makes sure that everyone taking part gets a free nutritious meal and snacks each day.

Free places are available for children who receive benefits-related free school meals. Some places are also available for other vulnerable families.

In total, 1,220 places are being made available across a range of activities and providers including:

Newport and West Wight

• Sport for all at Medina Leisure Centre 
• Island Riding Centre, Staplers Road, Newport
• Quay Arts
• CM Sports at Barton Primary School
• CM Sports at Medina Leisure Centre
• Aspire West Wight Youth scheme, Summers Lane, Totland
• West Wight Nursery Fun Club

East Cowes and Wootton

• CM Sports at Queensgate Primary School
• John Cattle Skate Club, St Mark's Church, Station Road, Wootton.

Ryde

• Creative hub and Kingdom Play at Aspire Ryde
• LJR Coaching at St Mary's Primary School
• Premier School Sport Coaching at Greenmount Primary School
• Theatre Educational at Oakfield Primary School

Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor

• Football Fun Factory at The Bay - Secondary site, Sandown
• Premier School Sport Coaching at St Francis Primary Academy, Ventnor
• Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, Yaverland
• Isle of Wight Rarebreeds Alverstone Dairy, Main Road

A full list of what’s available is on the Family Information Hub website.

The HAF programme is funded by the Department for Education.

Councillor Debbie Andre, Cabinet member for adult social care and Public Health, said:

"I wish to say a huge thank you to all of the providers who have worked with us to support children and their families by offering a varied programme of fun and exciting activities during the Christmas holidays and also providing them with a nutritious meal.

"The HAF programme continues to be a real success in offering an opportunity for those children and young people, who might not otherwise have had the chance to attend a holiday club or an activity day, to enjoy making new friends, a tasty meal and learning while they're having fun."