Thousands of children and young people across Cumbria enjoyed a variety of winter activities over Christmas – thanks to Cumbria’s Winter Holiday Activity programme.
The two-week programme supported 77 youth clubs, sports clubs, outdoor centres and other organisations to host hundreds of activities, giving young Cumbrians the opportunity to try something new and to have fun during the winter break, as well as being provided with a nutritious meal.
The programme saw 7,211 young people take part across the county, 6,786 of which were fully-funded places for young people either in receipt of benefits-related free school meals or who met the eligibility criteria.
A feedback survey carried out by the council found a large majority of parents and children saying that they thought the programme was “fantastic” with one respondent even giving a resounding “12 out of 10” rating.
Councillor Deborah Earl, cabinet member for communities and public health, said: “I was thrilled to see so many of our county’s children and young people enjoying themselves this winter.
“In what was another difficult winter period for families and young people, Cumbria’s Winter Holiday Activity Programme provided an outlet for them to forget their worries, let loose and have fun, creating memories which will last a lifetime.
“The variety of activities on offer was especially pleasing, with a mix of in-person and remote activities being offered for families who were isolating or reluctant to venture out due to high COVID numbers, significantly boosting the reach of the programme.
“Looking forward towards the easter programme, we will continue to build upon our previous successes in Summer and Winter, giving young people in Cumbria school holiday activities which will last long in the memory.”
Cath Clarke, from Cumbria Youth Alliance, said: “The programme was a great success with children already asking, “when is the next one?”
“Young people enjoyed a wide range of opportunities from ten pin bowling, boxing, circus skills, climbing walls, skiing, craft workshops, football academies, music, drama and even Santa dropped in to many of the events, making it special for the young people who attended. All the children not only enjoyed the enriching activities but had access to hot, healthy food.
“We simply could not have done this without our wide range of Holiday Activity and Food Providers, so, a massive thank you goes out to the organisations who provided these fantastic opportunities!”
Cumbria’s Winter Holiday Activity Programme was funded by the Government’s Holiday Activity and Food Programme 2021 and administered by Cumbria County Council working with the Cumbria Youth Alliance.
The government has now also confirmed three years of guaranteed funding for the programme into 2022 and beyond, allowing planning to start for Cumbria’s Easter Holiday Activity Programme.
Cumbria County Council are inviting expressions of interest from organisations to work with them for 2022 and beyond.
For further details on how organisations can get engaged and offer programmes, email Cathhaf@btinternet.com
