Healthy Futures Holiday Club (Easter 2026 HAF)
Healthy Futures Holiday Club programme overview
MEaP is thrilled to announce a new FREE, government-funded Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, managed by MCRActive on behalf of Manchester City Council.
The Healthy Futures Holiday Club is an Easter 2026 youth activities club taking place from Tuesday 7th April to Friday 10th April 2026, totalling 4 delivery days. The Healthy Futures Holiday Club delivers free, inclusive holiday provision for children aged 5–16 eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals (FSM), with up to 15% of places open to children identified as needing additional support. Each day runs from 10:00am to 3:00pm, providing a minimum of 5 hours of structured, high-quality provision.
The programme welcomes 20 children each day. The programme is delivered by MEaP and G.I.F.T.
HAF Compliance & Minimum Standards
Every session meets the following HAF minimum requirements:
- Minimum 4 hours structured provision per day (5 hours delivered: 10:00am–3:00pm)
- Minimum 1 hour of physical activity per day (1 hour 45 minutes delivered: 10:15–12:00)
- One healthy hot meal per day, compliant with School Food Standards
- Nutritional education integrated into daily activity
- Signposting to local support services available throughout
- Safeguarding arrangements in place — DSL: Esther Oludipe
- Online attendance registers completed via Manchester Active Provider Portal after each session
- All activities aligned with the Physical Activity Guidelines for children
Daily Timetable — All Days (10:00am – 3:00pm)
The following timetable applies to all 4 Easter delivery days. Specific activities vary by day (see daily activity plans below).
- going to the park
- arts and crafts to boost children and engage children’s creativity
- sports
- and more…
Vegelite On the Menu
MEaP is proud to have partenered with Vegilite to provide healthy, nutritious meals to our children. Vegilite is a plant-based Indo-western healthy food catering service based in Salford, Greater Manchester. The company promotes and celebrates vegetarian and vegan food, using fresh ingredients sourced locally all fresh food filled with the fullest of flavours and healthy to all, led by Doctor in Life Sciences and Nutritional Therapist Neha.
The organisation supported the HAF project over its 4 days by delivering nutritious, nut-free meals for children over four days. Here’s a snapshot of the menu:
- Day 1 Quesadillas with couscous salad, yoghurt pot, water
- Day 2 Pasta with hidden vegetables, eggless fruit cake, multigrain crackers with cheese, water
- Day 3 Veggie fried rice, carrot & cucumber sticks, rice pudding, water
- Day 4 Jacket potato with beans, fruit custard, banana, water
At Vegilite, we’re committed to providing balanced, child-friendly meals that meet dietary requirements while remaining affordable for organisations running HAF programmes.
Outcomes
The programme welcomed around 17 children a day.