Department for Education confirms extension of funded holiday clubs for Birmingham’s children and young people.

Following the announcement from the Department for Education, it has been confirmed that funding for Birmingham’s Holiday Activities and Food programme will continue until 2026, offering vital holiday clubs and nutritious meals to eligible children and young people across the city.

Over the last four years, the Bring it on Brum! programme has had a huge impact on the city, funding over 2,400 holiday clubs and serving almost 1 million meals to Birmingham’s children and young people. 

Academic research conducted by Northumbria University in 2023 concluded that the Bring it on Brum! programme not only had a positive effect on preventing social isolation, raising aspirations and boosting confidence in children and young people, but the Social Return on Investment for children and young people taking part in the programme equalled £479.28 per child.

The programme aims to address holiday hunger, physical inactivity, social isolation, childcare needs, learning loss and school readiness for Birmingham’s children and young people. Over 78,000 children and young people across the city are eligible for benefits-related free school meals, the programme is also open to other eligible groups, making Bring it on Brum! the biggest programme of its kind in the country. 

Bring it on Brum! holiday clubs work in partnership with local providers to give free school meal-eligible children aged 4-16 access to a wide range of funded activities including sports, crafts, music, art and much more during the spring, summer and winter holidays.

One of the UK’s leading sport for development charities, StreetGames, was appointed by Birmingham City Council in 2021 to be the delivery partner for the Bring it on Brum! programme. Earlier this month, StreetGames CEO Mark Lawrie OBE welcomed the announcement from the Department for Education of a funding extension for the HAF programme in 2025/26.

StreetGames welcome the fantastic news that the HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programme will continue to receive funding for 2025/26. This outcome is a testament to the value of the programme and the vital impact it has had and will now continue to have on children and families across the country.

As founding members of the HAF Alliance, which advocates for healthy, active and fulfilling holidays for the children and young people who most need them, StreetGames are proud to see this commitment renewed. Mark Lawrie OBE. CEO StreetGames

Our 2023 research showed that children’s and young people’s attendance at ‘Bring it on Brum’ had a positive impact on the lives of the children, their parents and carers. The Healthy Living Lab at Northumbria University collected data from more than 1000 parents and carers and found that children were more physically active, parents were less stressed, and families were more food secure compared to families whose children did not attend a HAF-funded holiday club. Professor Greta Defeyter of Northumbria University

The programme has also had a wider impact on Birmingham’s workforce, with over £26M being invested in local Birmingham holiday club provision and over 1500 staff, coaches and volunteers being upskilled through the Bring it on Brum! training offer, giving holiday club providers the resources needed to develop their skills to better meet the needs of the communities they serve. 

As we look back over the last four years, we reflect on the incredible impact that Bring it on Brum! has had on so many children, young people and their families across Birmingham. To remember that we launched the programme in a pandemic is remarkable. From remote and digital provision, to piloting hybrid models that built the foundations of the programme we deliver today.

 

The continued development of holiday clubs and the diversity of the activities on offer provide significant opportunities for children to grow, socialise and develop. We have witnessed children begin attending Bring it on Brum! holiday clubs aged 9 or 10, who are now young leaders supporting others and leading activities. We have built sustainable partnerships with local businesses, charities, food providers, national governing bodies of sport and many more, who add value to the programme which extends into positive activities for young people beyond the holiday periods. 

 

Through our academic evaluation and learning, we understand the impact of the programme and where this reaches across other areas of life including, children becoming more physically active year-round, the growth of the community and voluntary sector in relation to a more skilled, competent and confident workforce, offering more opportunities year-round than they did pre-HAF investment. We know that we have supported families to access additional family support and that we’ve provided a safe haven for thousands of children.

 

We celebrate the dedication shown by our providers and we welcome the news of continued investment to enable us to sustain our support to families in Birmingham. Jenny Carter, Holiday Activities and Food Programme Director