WP3752 - Holiday Activity and Food Programme - Free School Meals - Christmas Provision

In Walsall there are currently 14,197 children who are currently enrolled in Walsall schools whose parents claim school meals. Of these children; 9,150 are aged 5 of 11 (primary school age children) 4,608 are aged 12 to 16 (secondary school age children) The Department for Education (DfE) have provided Walsall Council with ?1.8m to provide children within the borough with healthy activities and school meals throughout key holiday periods through the Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF). This funding is for families who receive benefits related free school meals. The HAF programme offers valuable support for families on lower incomes, offering them access to rewarding and dynamic activities alongside healthy meals over the school holidays. This programme has already been successfully delivered across the Walsall Borough over the Easter and summer holiday periods, both of which were met with incredibly positive feedback. The Council aim to build on and further enhance the holiday provisions that have already taken place for the Christmas holiday period. The Council are seeking up to 3 Providers to deliver the free school meals element of the Christmas holiday HAF provision. The number of Provider's appointed is dependent on which aspects of the specification bidders are able to deliver.