Children and young people will be getting stuck in over this year’s summer holidays with a council initiative that hopes to bring lots of excitement to Dorset.
Dorset Council is working with local schools, voluntary organisations and activity providers to develop an exciting programme of activities that will be taking place across Dorset over the summer holidays. This is thanks to funding from the Department of Education’s Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) Programme.
You can find more information and sign up now on the Summer in Dorset page. Summer in Dorset will be 6 weeks of enriching activities, fun-days and holiday clubs for children aged 5 to 16. All sessions and included meals will be free for children who are eligible for benefit-related free school meals.
This follows on from Easter in Dorset, where hundreds of children experienced new activities, enjoyed physical exercise and made new friends at face-to-face and online sessions. Over the Easter holidays Dorset Council also sent out nearly 1,500 holiday bundles, containing ingredients and recipes for two tasty meals and home activity sheets, to those who needed it most.
Find out more about what happened in the Easter in Dorset Evaluation Report Summary.
Dorset Council wants as many children who are eligible for free-school meals to benefit from the HAF programme as possible. To help achieve this goal Summer in Dorset will:
- increase the number of activities, fun-days and holiday clubs on offer
- ensure that fun sessions are taking place across the whole of Dorset
- work with providers and organisations so that sessions are accessible for children of all abilities
- make sure that activities appeal to all ages
Cllr Andrew Parry, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Children, Education and Early Help, said: ‘We are delighted to continue supporting families over the school holidays, we understand that for many this can be a particularly stressful time. After such a challenging year Summer is Dorset is an opportunity to provide fun and enjoyment to children, whist taking away some pressure felt by parents.’
You can find more information and sign up now on the Summer in Dorset page
Contact info
Email: summerindorset@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Phone: 01305 252261
