Holiday, Activity and Food sessions are now available to book over the summer holidays.
Parents and guardians of eligible children and young people will be sent an email from their school from Thursday 10 July, containing a link to the new booking platform. You will need to create an account and choose your activities. Southend Council and Eequ booking platform are working together to simplify the booking for our eligible families to book onto the programme. We will not be issuing HAF codes, Eequ booking platform will automatically recognise your eligibility once a parent has created an account and entered their child's details. If your child is eligible, you will receive an email from your child's school from 9 July 2025 with the booking link to book your free holiday places: https://www.eequ.org/southendhafprogramme
The sessions are offered between Monday 28 July to Friday 23 August 2025. Children and young people who receive benefits related free school meals, are eligible to take part in the programme.
A maximum of 16 sessions can be booked for each child or young person. As spaces are limited, we ask families to only book the sessions that they can attend so that more children and young people can access HAF.
Cllr Helen Boyd, cabinet member for children's services, education and learning, said: I'm pleased that we are once again, able to use this opportunity to provide eligible families with extra support over the summer holidays. Especially this year due to the additional financial constraints with the continued rise in the cost of living, the HAF programme could ease that burden for some families.
The programme offers great support and gives the children and young people access to fun and active activities along with healthy food over the school holidays. I hope that eligible families will take up this wonderful opportunity for their children and book them on the sessions to keep them healthy, active and entertained.
If you think your child or young person is eligible, and you do not receive your email, please contact your child’s school or email the HAF team at haf@Southend.gov.uk
For more information about the Holiday Activities and Food scheme and to see more information about providers, visit: Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF)