Become a Holiday Activities Provider

Find out how you can become a provider for Doncaster's Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme and/or Universal Activity programme.

Summer 2025 HAF Programme

Applications for the Summer 2025 HAF Programme and Universal Activity Programme are now open and will close Monday 12th May 2025. All applications must be received by this date. If you have applied to deliver activities, you will hear back from the team shortly. A copy of the application is available below.

What is the HAF Programme?

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme is part of a national initiative to support children who are eligible for free school meals. The programme is intended to support the physical and mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, by offering them opportunities to participate in fun activities and enjoy nutritious food during school holidays.

The HAF programme has been providing healthy food and enriching activities to children through local councils since 2019.

We are looking for organisations or groups who are interested in delivering healthy and enjoyable holiday activities. The holiday activities will target those families who are eligible for benefits free school meals (FSM). The HAF programme takes place over the Easter, Summer and Winter school holiday periods if you would like to apply.

Doncaster HAF Programme Funding

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme will provide free places at holiday clubs over the specified school holiday periods. Places will be made available for children in the local authority area who are eligible for, and receive benefits related to free school meals (FSM).

HAF Provision

The Summer HAF 2025 programme will run from Thursday 24 July until Friday 29 August (excluding bank holidays) The activities are commissioned out to various providers who work in partnership with schools, voluntary, community and faith (VCF) organisations to support them. Activities are mapped to ensure there is a diverse range on offer, across Doncaster, to suit all eligible children and young people. You can find out more about the HAF programme in the Department for Education HAF Programme guidance document.

All provision funded by the local authority through the HAF programme must meet our framework of standards and meet the following core aims and objectives:

Healthy meals: holiday clubs must provide at least one healthy meal a day, which must meet the School Food Standards.
Enrichment activities: holiday clubs must provide fun and enriching activities that provide children with opportunities to develop or consolidate skills or knowledge. Clubs must also provide physical activities which meet the Physical Activity Guidelines on a daily basis.
Increasing understanding and awareness of healthy eating: holiday clubs must work to improve children’s knowledge and awareness of healthy eating.
Signposting and referrals: clubs must be able to provide information, signposting or referrals to other services and support that would benefit the children who attend their provision and their families. This can include advice on how to source, prepare and cook nutritious and low-cost food alongside increasing awareness of healthy eating
Policies and procedures: clubs must be able to demonstrate and explain their safeguarding arrangements and have relevant and appropriate policies and procedures in place in relation to safeguarding, health and safety, insurance, accessibility and inclusiveness.

What is the Universal Activity Programme?

This year, Doncaster Council have secured funding to deliver a Universal Activity Programme for children and young people up to aged 19 (or 25 with SEND).