Food vouchers and free holiday clubs are available over the Easter holidays to help support Harborough families

Food vouchers and free holiday clubs are available over the Easter holidays to help support families in Harborough and Leicestershire facing a “soaring” spike in the cost of living.

Vouchers worth £45 have been made available to parents and carers of 14,000 children, who are eligible for free school meals, in the county to pay for food during the two-week break that starts on Monday April 11.

Families that qualify for free school meals can also sign their children up for free Easter holiday activities.

Leicestershire County Council is administering the food voucher scheme, through schools, and the activities programme using dedicated Government funding.

The authority is working with Active Together (formerly Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport) to run the Holidays Together Easter 2022 programme.

The scheme offers places to eligible primary and secondary school pupils in Leicestershire as part of the Government’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, funded by the Department for Education.

Eligible children (aged four to 16) can access up to four sessions in total during the Easter holidays – free of charge.

Families can sign up for activities by visiting www.leicestershire.gov.uk/HAF

The holiday clubs involve helping young people explore everything from sport to music, dance to drama, art to cooking and even gardening.

Free nutritious meals will also be provided.

A variety of activities are also to be made available this summer (scheme-dependent).

Further details about the Holidays Together programme can be found on the Active Together website: www.active-together.org/holidays-together

For more information on the national programme, visit: www.gov.uk/government/publications/holiday-activities-and-food-programme/holiday-activities-and-food-programme-2021