Councillors have praised the “amazing work” of community groups who delivered holiday clubs as part of the Tower Hamlets Holiday Activities and Food programme.
Thousands of children benefited from the summer programme, run by Tower Hamlets Council, which provides meals alongside fun activities for young people to enjoy.
In partnership with local organisations and funded by the Department for Education, Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) clubs provided opportunities for young people aged 4-16 to access sports, arts activities and day trips during the summer break.
As part of the council’s Cost of Living Help campaign, the HAF clubs were based in areas identified as high need and are designed to offer places for children eligible for benefits-related free school meals.
Beyond the Bias, a social mobility organisation tackling the lack of opportunities open to young people from ethnic minority backgrounds, ran four weeks of sporting activities at Poplar Baths Leisure Centre.
Cllr Saied Ahmed and Cllr Gulam Kibria Choudhury visited Poplar Baths to see firsthand how young people had benefited from the club and met with youngsters and staff.
Cllr Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Resources and the Cost of Living said:
“Summer holidays can be hard for families with increased costs of childcare and the ongoing cost of living crisis.
“Many children are unable to access organised out of school activities and experience unhealthy holidays in terms of nutrition and physical health. To address this we delivered the HAF summer programme which has been a big success and benefited thousands of young people.
“I was lucky enough to visit some of the sessions held in the borough and spoke to our young people enjoying a range of activities and joined in a game of basketball.
“It is fantastic to see so many young people taking part in sports and the amazing work our providers do to deliver activities during the holidays. I look forward to more young people participating in HAF clubs over the Christmas break.”
Cllr Ahmed also met with 17-year-old coach Ibrahim, who is volunteering with Beyond the Bias.
Ibrahim who is juggling his A-level studies with coaching said: “I am really pleased to be a part of the HAF scheme and helping young people engage in positive activities.
“I know how hard it can be during the long holidays where there is no structure or routine and how easy it can be to fall into bad habits.
“I have really enjoyed my experience as a coach and hope to do it again.”
Six-year-old Adam who took part in the HAF club at Poplar Baths said:
“If I wasn’t at sports camp I would be really bored at home. It has been fun to try new sports and make new friends.”
Find out more about the HAF scheme and when the next sessions will be available www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/haf
Posted on Wednesday 2nd October 2024