The StreetGames Awards have highlighted exceptional Holiday Activities Projects across the UK, celebrating organisations that have dedicated their efforts to providing engaging and beneficial activities for young people during school holidays. These regional winners have demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering community well-being and inclusivity through their innovative holiday programmes. Let’s delve into the impactful initiatives of these outstanding projects:

London and Southeast:

Sport at the Heart: Since 2016, Sport at the Heart has actively addressed school holiday food insecurity, providing healthy meals and a diverse range of activities through collaborating with initiatives like Fit and Fed and leveraging resources from FareShare and the Felix Project. They have built a team and a solid operational template, enabling them to develop their capacity, increasing school holiday places to 120 per day for the 5-13-year-old age group and 30 per day for the 14-18-year-old age group. Since 2016, they have consistently delivered programmes in most major school holidays. Even during the pandemic, they shifted to providing school holiday programmes for the most vulnerable in our community in line with government guidance. This summer alone, they have delivered nearly 400 hours of activities and served 3000 healthy meals to over 180 children and young people. 

North East:

Elswick Community Leisure Centre: The Elswick Community Leisure Centre, located in the heart of the west end of Newcastle, has been running a successful Holiday Activity Project for about three years. The centre’s engagement with over 100 young people during the holiday period sets it apart, offering activities like swimming and scuba diving that are often beyond the reach of the local community. Additionally, the project provides meals prepared by the children themselves, creating a unique and engaging experience. The centre has provided opportunities for the deprived community, with limited access to such activities. 

Yorkshire:

Champions Community Sport: The Healthy Holidays programme, now in its third year, has witnessed remarkable growth, accommodating increasing members each year and providing diverse activities such as bushcraft, cooking and planting sessions, and cultural food initiatives. In 2023, their attendance target was 1000 attendees, yet they had a fantastic 1198 young people attend.

North West:

Abraham Moss Warriors: Actively engaging the community during school holidays, with over 5,000 participants over the past 12 months in various sessions. Their young leaders’ programme, developed in partnership with StreetGames, has empowered participants to become mentors. At the same time, the summer activities, including educational initiatives and water sports, have provided memorable experiences for the children. They provide young people with the opportunities to make new friends, get out of their comfort zone and the opportunity to do things that they never would otherwise. When they go back to school, if someone asks them what they did, they have a list of fun activities that they’ve experienced.

Midlands:

Pitch2Progress: Making significant strides in delivering the Holiday Activities and Food programme since 2021, their inclusive approach has attracted around 180 young people per session, promoting equal opportunities and empowerment. What truly sets Pitch 2 Progress CIC apart is its dedication to empowering participants beyond the programme’s duration. Former participants have seamlessly transitioned into volunteer roles within the organisation, highlighting the programme’s lasting influence on individuals. Notably, the organisation’s investment in training and development has led to the empowerment of 22 young individuals as staff members, emphasising the importance of professional growth and community engagement. 

North Wales:

Active Cambria: The Active Camp has provided over 18 full-time days of physical activity sessions, healthy snacks, and nutritious meals to more than 200 young people in the Flintshire and Wrexham areas during the school holidays. The project’s emphasis on physical activity has addressed concerns regarding sedentary lifestyles, promoting teamwork, leadership, and perseverance through various team sports and outdoor adventures. Furthermore, the camp’s focus on promoting healthy eating habits has instilled valuable nutrition education among the participants. With the support of funding and donations from Iceland, the camp ensured that children not only received nourishing meals during their stay but also took home surplus food for their families, positively impacting the wider community. The camp’s impact on social skills and mental well-being has been widely recognised, with participants expressing gratitude for the opportunity to try new activities and experience personal growth.

South Wales:

Wye Gymnastics & Galaxy Cheerleading: The Caldicot Community Fridge project, operated by Wye Gymnastics & Galaxy Cheerleading, focuses on collecting surplus food from local supermarkets daily and distributing it to the community at no cost to combat food waste and alleviate food poverty. Recognising the heightened struggles families face, particularly during school holidays, the project aims to address the challenges faced by those who rely on free school meals, ensuring they have access to nutritious meals during these periods. Throughout their initiative, the project has conducted 13 Fit & Fed sessions across two venues, impacting 252 children and introducing them to a diverse range of sports activities, including cricket, football, netball, rugby, and tennis. The overwhelmingly positive feedback has motivated the organisers to continue the program’s expansion, demonstrating their commitment to addressing food insecurity and promoting physical activities for the local youth during school holidays.

These regional winners have set an inspiring example of the transformative impact that engaging holiday activities can have on community well-being and empowerment. Their initiatives reflect a deep-rooted commitment to fostering inclusivity and support for young people and families within their communities.

A new academic review of Birmingham’s Holiday Activities and Food summer programme found it is ‘highly regarded by leaders in delivery organisations and by parents’ and has continued to deliver clear positive benefits for children and young people across the city, but restricting access to those eligible for free school meals is limiting its full potential. The programme’s success has led to renewed calls for eligibility to be widened so more young people can take part.

The programme was co-delivered by StreetGames on behalf of Birmingham City Council alongside trusted, local organisations (e.g. schools, community organisations etc.) and delivered a range of activities across the six-week school summer holiday. In total, the programme reached 26,101 young people and delivered 162,556 attendances, serving up meals to children and young people across the city as well as providing a wide range of fun, physical activities. These accomplishments were delivered by a citywide network of 277 holiday clubs operating in the heart of local neighbourhoods and staffed by fantastic local coaches and volunteers.

Now new research from Northumbria University has confirmed that the Social Return on Investment for health improvements associated with the Bring It On Brum programme has been calculated at £479.28 per child, while for every child deterred from participating in antisocial behaviour and associated crime, there is an approximate investment return of £928.40. 74% of parents thought that enrolment in the programme did help to keep children from participating in anti-social activity. The study concluded that the programme ‘created opportunity for learning and development, decreased stress and financial burden for families and individuals, as well as have a profound lasting economic impact’.

A large-scale survey was sent to all parents and carers of children attending Bring it on Brum during the summer holidays and also to those running the holiday clubs. Analysis of the results shows that Bring it on Brum delivered a range of positive outcomes, with families whose children attended a Bring it on Brum holiday club saying the holiday programme had a positive effect at preventing social isolation, raising aspirations, and boosting confidence. There was a significant increase in the number of parents reporting that they were more confident in leaving their children with staff this year (81% in 2002 versus 75% in 2021), suggesting that confidence in the programme continues to grow with time. Parent’s perceptions of the food on offer at clubs has also improved overall.

Parents also reported an increased squeeze in their cost of living, with both parents of Bring it on Brum participants and parents of children who had not attended the holiday clubs saying that household food insecurity had increased. The findings are likely to increase calls for the eligibility criteria for HAF programmes to be extended beyond those families on Free School Meals.

Mark Lawrie, Chief Executive of StreetGames, said:

“We’re thrilled that Bring it on Brum continues to go from strength to strength, and proud to be working in partnership with Birmingham City Council to ensure some of the most vulnerable young people in the city are having the chance to get active in a safe, fun environment during the school holidays. At StreetGames we know the difference that well-delivered sport and physical activity can make to the lives of young people, helping them to be healthier, safer and more successful.

This report shows confidence in the programme continues to be strong amongst parents and carers. Sadly, it also found that families across the board are really struggling with the cost of living and many young people in Birmingham and beyond are not getting the support they need because of HAFs narrow eligibility.

The evidence is clear that when delivered in the right way, HAF can make a real difference to young lives. It would be great to see the programme expanded to provide even more families with vital support outside of term time.”

Prof Greta Defeyter of Northumbria University, who conducted the research, said:

“Our research continues to show that children’s and young people’s attendance at ‘Bring it on Brum’ had a positive impact on the lives of the children, their parents and carers. The Healthy Living Lab at Northumbria University collected data from more than 1000 parents and carers and found that children were more physically active, parents were less stressed, and families were more food secure compared to families whose children did not attend a HAF funded holiday club.”

Additional Comments:

“I think this programme is fantastic for the children, all the different activities and healthy food provided. Every child having a smile on their face and looking forward to the next day.” Parent/ Guardian of Participant

“I think this programme is a very good opportunity for the young generation to keep active and healthy.” Club Leader