Healthy Meals For Children And Free Childcare For Island Families To Be Provided Over Easter

Healthy meals for children and free childcare for families will be provided this Easter on the Isle of Wight.

A spending package of nearly £70,000 for a holiday activity and food scheme has been given the green light by the Isle of Wight Council.

The Easter 2026 Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) Programme, funded by the government’s Department for Education (DfE), has been signed off by Ashley Whittaker, County Hall’s strategic director for children’s services.

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

Whitehall has supported the HAF since 2018, funding English local authorities to coordinate free holiday provision during the main school holidays.

Island providers approved for grants include Aspire Ryde, Premier School Sports Coaching in Cowes, the Island Riding Centre off Staplers Road, West Wight Nursery and Wild Roots in Ventnor.

A minimum of 1,659 places will be supported, with the possibility of extra spaces in the lead-up to the Easter break.

“School holidays can be particularly pressurised for some families because of increased costs (such as food and childcare) and reduced household income in some circumstances,” a council report says.

“For some children that can lead to a holiday experience gap with children from low-income families less likely to access organised out-of-school activities and more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health, this can also mean they are more likely to experience social isolation.”

Children receiving benefits-related free school meals are eligible for the HAF Programme, but local authorities are also able to use 15 per cent of government funding for children who are not eligible but would benefit.

Out of the £68,926 total spend, £1,000 is reserved for SEND support and £1,518.20 has been allocated for the creation of additional spaces.

More information on the HAF Programme can be found here: https://www.iow.gov.uk/children-and-family-support/holiday-activities-and-childcare/holiday-activities/holiday-activities-and-food-programme-haf/