Aims/Priorities: The programme aims to help eligible children eat more healthily, be more active, and develop resilience, character, and well-being through enriching activities and to ensure that children are safe, not socially isolated during the holidays, and return to school feeling more engaged and ready to learn.
There are many benefits for children who attend the HAF programme. HAF providers should ensure a high-quality experience that will result in children:
- receiving healthy and nutritious meals
- maintaining a healthy level of physical activity
- being happy, having fun and meeting new friends
- developing a greater understanding of food, nutrition and other health-related issues
- taking part in fun and engaging activities that support their development and well-being
- feeling safe and secure
- getting access to the right support services
- returning to school feeling engaged and ready to learn
HAF also improves accessibility and affordability of childcare during school holidays opening up work opportunities for parents on low incomes to support their families. Adopting mixed models or longer sessions can also help to support families more broadly to work or manage other commitments.
Families can also benefit, when HAF providers include their needs in planning and delivering their programme. This could be through:
- providing opportunities to get involved in sessions, for example cookery classes
- ensuring they are signposted towards other sources of information and support, such as health services or employment and education opportunities
Who can apply? There are a wide variety of organisations and individuals involved in the delivery of the holiday activities and food programme, including but not limited to:
- schools
- colleges
- nurseries
- private providers
- charities
- youth clubs
- community groups
- sports providers
- childminders
All of these groups must be able to demonstrate that they have in place relevant and appropriate policies and procedures for:
- safeguarding, including the recruitment of staff and volunteers
- health and safety
- relevant insurance policies
- accessibility and inclusiveness
Grant Amount: Not specified
Application Process: It is anticipated that there will be many organisations across Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council applying for a grant. As part of ongoing work to strengthen and expand the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) offer across Tameside, the fund is currently looking to increase provision in a number of priority areas, including:
- Hyde
- Hattersley
- Longdendale
- Dukinfield
- Haughton Green
- Audenshaw
- Mossley
And would welcome hearing from providers who:
- Have existing venues within any of the areas listed above, or
- Work with, or know of, local organisations, partners or community venues in these areas that may be interested in delivering HAF provision.
In particular, the funder is keen to broaden the range of offers available and would be especially interested in:
- Non‑sports-based provision
- Youth‑focused holiday activities
- SEND‑specific holiday provision, including specialist or targeted offers
All applications are required to specify:
- How their organisation plans to deliver against the eligibility criteria and Standards Framework
- Total number of HAF funded places being offered
- Number of HAF-funded children who will benefit
- Holiday provision delivery dates, times and length of sessions
- How you aim to meet the school food standards
- How you will meet the physical activity standards
- Evidence of Staff Qualifications, enhanced DBS certificates, public liability Insurance, health and safety qualification, food hygiene course certificate, risk assessments, safeguarding certification.
- Details of how your provision will be inclusive and accessible
- How you will reach benefit-related Free School Meal children and their families
Applicants should ensure they read the Service Specification carefully and answer all questions on the application form and include all of the applications requirements, as specified in Item 14 of the attached Service Specification. Applications will be assessed against a fair and transparent scoring procedure via the Tameside HAF steering group.
Deadline: Applications for Early Summer delivery are open until Thursday 8th May 2026. Applications received after this date will not be considered for Early Summer delivery but will instead be reviewed for Summer holiday delivery 2026. Applications for Summer holiday delivery will close on 19th June 2026.
Contact Information: hafenquiries@tameside.gov.uk
Website: Tameside HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) Programme - Tameside MBC