MANY children across the Cotswolds will be able to enjoy a vast range of free activities during the Easter school holidays next month.

An award-winning social enterprise called World Jungle has teamed up with the Cotswold District Council and Gloucestershire County Council to deliver another Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for eligible children this spring.

The HAF programme includes a wide range of exciting activities for children to get involved with such as rally driving, ‘Go Wild’ days, archery, nature events and traditional craft sessions and will be running from April 3 to April 14.

However, the programme is only accessible for children in reception up to year 11 who receive benefits-related free school meals. 

Councillor Jenny Forde, cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “As always, I’m so pleased we’re able to provide these activities for the children in our district.

"With the pressures of the cost of living crisis rising, it’s more important than ever that we can provide this much needed support to families.

“Last year we were able to support 1100 children across our HAF programmes, and that just goes to show how important it is that we are able to carry on running them!”

The council has decided to use additional funding to run the Holiday Activity Programme (HAP) which will be offered to all children between the ages of five and 16 across the district, regardless of free school meal eligibility. 

Ben Ward, from World Jungle, said: “We have got another fantastic programme of activities this spring and would encourage all parents to sign up to Children’s Activity booking system so they can keep up to date with what’s on this holiday. 

“While some of these are only open to those in receipt of benefits-related free school meals there are other activities which are open to all thanks to additional funding.”

To find out more about the HAF programme click here.

Gloucestershire County Council will also providing food vouchers to eligible families who have signed up to their Holiday Free School Meals scheme.

Eligible families will receive £15 per child for one week of the Easter holiday, and the HAF programme will provide for the second week of the holiday.