holiday hunger | Schools Week

Holiday hunger providers demand ‘multi-year funding’ as DfE extends scheme

The government must allocate “multi-year funding” for its holiday activities and food programme, previous recipients said after the announcement of a £220 million expansion to the scheme. The extension of HAF to all areas in England and into the Easter and Christmas holidays next year was announced on Sunday, following mounting pressure on ministers to […]

Rashford nets another U-turn as ministers pledge ‘winter grants’ and extend holiday hunger scheme

A programme that provides free activities and food during the summer holidays will be extended nationwide and cover both Christmas and Easter next year, the government has announced, in another major victory for footballer Marcus Rashford. The Department for Work and Pensions announced today that a £220 million extension of the holiday activities and food […]

Revealed: The 10 projects selected to run holiday food and activities trials in 2020

The government has named 10 projects that will split £9 million in funding to run holiday food and activities programmes this summer. The schemes are part of a pilot, now in its third year, which aims to test the impact of providing food and holiday activities to pupils in the summer months. Some of the […]

Government sets up £120m ‘Covid summer food fund’ after free meal vouchers U-turn

The government has said it will provide free school meal vouchers over the summer holidays in a significant U-turn, following mounting pressure led by footballer Marcus Rashford. Until today, ministers had been adamant that the scheme, which has replaced school lunches for many disadvantaged children during partial closures, would end when schools break up in […]

DfE abandons Easter holiday hunger pilot after summer trial

The government will spend another £9 million testing solutions to holiday hunger across England, but has abandoned plans to run a pilot in the Easter and summer holidays next year. According to tender documents seen by Schools Week, the Department for Education is seeking organisations to test the “co-ordination” of free holiday provision, including “healthy […]