Summer holiday activities on offer to thousands of children across county

Thousands of eligible families across Lancashire will receive an e-voucher next week to allow them to book a place on one of the many summer holiday activities and food (HAF) clubs taking place this summer.

The Lancashire County Council HAF programme provides at least four hours of activities a day, including a meal, over 16 days of the school summer holiday.

If a child is eligible for a funded place, families will receive an e-voucher by text or email on July 3.

The text or email will come from hello@holidays, whom Lancashire County Council have commissioned to send out the vouchers.

They will be issued by a child’s school and sent to the contact phone number or email account held by them.

The e-voucher will contain a 16-digit HAF code and will have a link to LCC's HAF webpage.

Child are eligible for a HAF place if they are entitled to benefits-related free school meals, have a SEND or Early Help Plan, are a Young Carer or if their family is being supported by Children's Social Care.

Lancashire County Council provides education and children's services to 12 boroughs including Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

Blackburn with Darwen Council provides its own HAF programme.

Last summer the county council had a record 14,632 children and young people attend a HAF club.

Katherine Ashworth, LCC Early Help's head of service, said: "Our HAF programme is very popular and we have introduced a new e-voucher system to make it easier for families to book a place.

"The e-vouchers will be issued by your child’s school and once you have them you can use the 16-digit code to book a place for your child."