£200,000 Set To Support Free Summer Activities And Meals For Children On The Isle Of Wight

Hundreds of thousands of pounds will be invested this summer to provide healthy meals, enriching activities, and free childcare for children across the Isle of Wight.

County Hall’s Director of Children’s Services, Ashley Whittaker, has approved £200,362.80 in grants to local activity providers including the Island Riding Centre, Quay Arts, Aspire Ryde, and West Wight Nursery.

The funding will support a minimum of 5,071 spaces across 29 sites, with an extra £4,000 allocated for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) support.

A further £18,681.20 has been set aside to provide additional spaces as demand rises.

This funding comes from the Department for Education (DfE) as part of the Summer 2026 Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF).

The scheme has been running since 2018, helping local authorities deliver free holiday provision during Easter, Summer, and Christmas breaks.

A council report highlights the importance of the programme:

“The HAF Programme provides healthy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places for children from low-income families to benefit their health, wellbeing and learning.”

The report adds that school holidays can place extra pressure on families due to increased costs for food and childcare.

Children from low-income households are less likely to access organised activities, which can result in ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition, physical health, and social interaction.

All providers are closely monitored by the HAF delivery team, including through onsite visits, to ensure the programme runs safely and effectively.