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Holiday Activities and Food Programme

In this section:

  1. You are here: Holiday activities for children Holiday activities for children
  2. You are here: Community Fun Days Community Fun Days
  3. You are here: Timetable of activities Timetable of activities
  4. You are here: Become a provider Become a provider

Holiday activities for children

Children and young people across the district may be eligible for free school holiday club places and a meal.

The government’s Holiday Activities and Food Programme takes place during Easter, the summer holidays, and Christmas.

We have provided additional money so that there are further holiday activities during the February, May and October half terms.

The programme enables children and young people to enjoy fun activities with friends, and develop new skills.

Who is eligible?

The activities are for those who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals.

Other eligibility can include:

  • children assessed by the local authority as being in need, at risk or vulnerable
  • young carers
  • looked-after children or previously looked after children
  • children with an education, health and care (EHC) plan
  • children who have low attendance rates at school, or who are at risk of exclusion
  • children living in areas of high deprivation, or from low-income households, who are not in receipt of free school meals
  • children in transition phases between nursery and primary school or primary and secondary school

If a child is not eligible, most providers offer paid for spaces.

How can I book activities?

We use the online booking system Eequ. Guardians of eligible children can book spaces for HAF activities through our Eequ profile:

Book a holiday activity online

If you have any queries, please email HAFenquiries@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk.

Contact us

If you need any support, please contact our HAF Coordinator Rachel Cattermole on HAFenquiries@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Community Fun Days

BMSDC are excited to be partnering with Abbeycroft to provide 4 amazing family days from 10am-2pm at the following locations:

  • Monday 21st July – Belle Vue Park, Sudbury
  • Thursday 24th July – New Green Community Centre, Thurston
  • Friday 25th July – Easthouse Meadow (Hadleigh Pool & Leisure), Hadleigh
  • Monday 28th July – Stowmarket Recreation Ground

There will be a wide range of FREE activities for children of all ages. Come along and bring a picnic. There will be climbing, axe throwing, bouncy castles and lots more. If your children received Means Tested Free School Meals you can pre-book a FREE Packed Lunch as well as early bird spaces on our Climbing and Axe Throwing Activities. Spaces are limited and booked on a first come first served basis.

Find out more and book your spaces here

Timetable of activities

We update this webpage with information about holiday activities available for children, as and when they happen.

Book a holiday activity online

Activities available

Please note that the table below details activities taking place in the districts of both Babergh and Mid Suffolk.

Dates

Summary

Provider

Venue

Contact

22, 23 Dec, 2 & 5 Jan

Holiday club involving multi-sports, arts, and crafts. 9am – 5pm (early drop-off and late pick-up available)

Kicks and Tricks

Grace Cook Primary School, Stowmarket IP14 1XJ

Visit Kicks and Tricks’ website ⧉
Email info@kicksandtricks.co.uk
Phone 01449 401630

22, 23 Dec, 2 & 5 Jan

Holiday club involving multi-sports, arts, and crafts. 9am – 5pm (early drop-off and late pick-up available)

Kicks and Tricks

Beaumont Primary School, Hadleigh IP7 6GD

Visit Kicks and Tricks’ website ⧉
Email info@kicksandtricks.co.uk
Phone 01449 401630

22 & 23 Jan

Multi-activity courses including a range of sports, activities, arts and crafts. For 5-12 year olds

Premier Education

St Peter's and St Pauls Primary School, Church Street, Eye, Suffolk IP23 7BD

Visit Premier Education's website

Email info@premier-education.com

Phone 01953 499040

22 & 23 Jan

Multi-activity courses including a range of sports, activities, arts and crafts. For 5-12 year olds

Premier Education

Debenham Sports & Leisure Centre, Gracechurch Street, Debenham, IP14 6BL

Visit Premier Education's website

Email info@premier-education.com

Phone 01953 499040

22 Dec – 5 Jan

Family swim session, and Playworld. Gymnastics, Roller Disco and Junior Gym memberships

Everyone Active

Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre, Gainsborough Road, Stowmarket IP14 1LH

Visit Everyone Active's website

Phone 01449 674980

Email trinityrose@everyoneactive.com

22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 Dec & 2 Jan

Holiday club involving football, multi-sports, arts and crafts, mini chefs, dodgeball. For 5-12 year olds

Anglia Sports Management

Brantham Leisure Centre, Brantham CO11 1RZ

Visit Anglia Sports Management's website

Email info@angliasportsmanagement.com

Phone 01206 392506

22 Dec

Adventure days introducing alternative physical activity through outdoor activities. For 8-12 year olds

Abbeycroft

3rd Sudbury Scout Hut, 6 Quay Lane, Sudbury, CO10 2AN

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

21 Dec

Family Park Cooking- outdoor activity, and an outdoor cooking lesson using recipes from a top local chef.

Abbeycroft

3rd Sudbury Scout Hut, 6 Quay Lane, Sudbury, CO10 2AN

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

21 Dec

Family Park Cooking- outdoor activity, and an outdoor cooking lesson using recipes from a top local chef.

Abbeycroft

Hadleigh Sea Scouts, Osbourne Hall, Layham Road Sports Ground, Hadleigh, IP7 5NE

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

20 – 23 Dec

Swimming Family Offer & Teen Offer

Abbeycroft

Hadleigh Pool & Leisure Centre, Hadleigh, IP7 5BH

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

20 – 23 Dec

Swimming Family Offer & Teen Offer

Abbeycroft

Kingfisher Leisure Centre, Sudbury, CO10 2SU

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

23 Dec

Multi-sports, nerf, football, and dance camps

Maxim Sports

Wells Hall Primary School, Great Cornard, CO10 0NH

Visit Maxim Sport's website
Email info@maximsportscoaching.co.uk
Phone 07973 885971

22 – 23 Dec

Holiday camp including crafts, baking, sports, swimming, and inflatables

School’s Out Activities

Ipswich High School, Woolverstone, Ipswich, IP9 1AZ

Visit School’s Out Activities’ website
Email info@schoolsoutactivities.co.uk
Phone 07931 988478

21 & 22 Dec

Woodland based activity days, including traditional crafts, green wood work, bushcraft and archery

Queech Wood

Queech Wood, Hemingstone, Ipswich, IP6 0QF

Visit Queech Wood’s website
Email neil@queechwood.co.uk
Phone 07941 009256

22, 23, 29, & 30 Dec

Mario Kart, Arts & Crafts, Football, multi sports and Nerf Camps, Inflatable Fun.

Prestige Sports Development

Tudor Primary School, Tudor Road, Sudbury, CO10 1NL

Visit Prestige’s website
Email info@prestigesportsdevelopment.co.uk
Phone 07494 002352

29 & 30 Dec

Theatre Workshop that involves singing, acting, dancing and arts and crafts inspired by a theme

Little Voices

Stowupland Village Hall, IP14 4BG

Visit Little Voice’s website
Email evie@littlevoices.org.uk   
Phone 07362 429298

23 & 28 Dec

Football and inflatables

Ipswich Town Foundation

Stowupland Sports Centre, Church Road, Stowupland, IP14 4BQ

Visit Ipswich Foundation’s website 
Email community@itfcfoundation.co.uk 
Phone 01473 400980 

23 & 30 Dec

Creative workshops

Creation Station

Capel St Mary Primary School, The Street, Capel St Mary, IP9 2EG

Visit Creation Station’s website
Email fran.aldous@thecreationstation.co.uk  
Phone 07525 467007

22 Dec

Providing food boxes of Christmas dinner and Boxing Day lunch

Abbeycroft

Kingfisher Leisure Centre, Sudbury, CO10 2SU

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Providing food boxes of Christmas dinner and Boxing Day lunch

Abbeycroft

Hadleigh Pool & Leisure Centre, Hadleigh, IP7 5BH

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

23 Dec

Providing food boxes of Christmas dinner and Boxing Day lunch

Abbeycroft

Glemsford Village Hall, Tye Green, Glemsford, CO10 7RH

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

23 Dec

Providing food boxes of Christmas dinner and Boxing Day lunch

Abbeycroft

Sports Pavilion, Bridge Street, Lavenham, CO10 9SH

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

23 Dec

Providing food boxes of Christmas dinner and Boxing Day lunch

Abbeycroft

Red Gables, Ipswich Road, Stowmarket, IP14 1BE

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Providing food boxes of Christmas dinner and Boxing Day lunch

Abbeycroft

Woolpit Village Hall, Mill Lane, Woolpit, IP30 9QX

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Providing food boxes of Christmas dinner and Boxing Day lunch

Abbeycroft

The Bank, 2 Castle Street, Eye, IP23 7AN

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Providing food boxes of Christmas dinner and Boxing Day lunch

Abbeycroft

Community Centre, Sports and Leisure Centre, Gracechurch Street, Debenham, IP14 6BL

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

22 Dec

Providing food boxes of Christmas dinner and Boxing Day lunch

Abbeycroft

Needham Market Community Centre, School Street, Needham Market, IP6 8BB

Visit Abbeycroft's website
Email HAF@acleisure.com
Phone 01284 757495

Become a provider

We were allocated £134,892.59 for the 2023-2024 Holiday Activities and Food Programme.

There are 2,220 means tested free school meal children (March 2022 statistics).

How can I become a provider?

If you are interested in providing activities for us, then you will need to apply for funding by completing an online application. 

  • If you are a new provider, please complete both Form A and Form B
  • If you have previously completed Form A within the last financial year - and have been approved - please complete Form B

Please see the deadlines for each application period:

  • Easter – application deadline 10 February 2025
  • Summer – application deadline 9 June 2025
  • Christmas – application deadline 20 October 2025

If you have any questions about the application process, please email HAFenquiries@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

What are the requirements?

The requirements follow the Department for Education’s minimum standards, which include:

  • A school standard meal (ideally a hot meal)
  • Four hours of activities
  • One hour of physical activity
  • Some form of nutritional education
  • Providing signposting to families onto further services, if needed

Where can I learn more?

The Department for Education have published information about the HAF programme.

How we use your information

We will use the information you provide only for the purpose of this grant funds application. We will store the information securely in line with data protection laws. Please read our privacy policy for more information.