YOUNGSTERS across Liverpool will once again be able to take part in a programme of activities during half-term.
The council is bringing together scores of organisations to offer hundreds of FREE activities for five to 16-year-olds as part of October Eat to Meet – which also guarantees healthy meals and snacks for all the children joining in the fun.
Activities, which start on Monday, 24 October, are open to children from families receiving benefits-related free school meals.
The whole programme of events is available through the MPAC website and activities need to be booked in advance by directly contacting organisers.
Liverpool City Council funds activity programmes in the half-term breaks, complementing the Department for Education-funded Holiday and Activity Food (HAF) programmes which take place in the Easter, summer and Christmas breaks.
The programmes have proved incredibly popular with families. This summer, 115 projects were delivered across 122 sites, with 12,758 children attending supported by 24,712, hours of volunteering. An amazing 243,754 meals were also provided.
Projects are delivered in every ward in the city and three HAF activity days were also held during the summer in Princes Park, Garston Park, and Rice Lane City Farm.
Cllr Frazer Lake, Cabinet member for Adults’ and Children’s Social Care, said:
“Our commitment to fund the activity programme during the half-term breaks is now more important than ever as Liverpool families start to deal with the very real pressures of the cost-of-living crisis.
“It’s incredible that over 12,000 children attended HAF activities in the summer and this is evidence of how valued the programme is by parents and carers.
“As always, we could not do this without the organisations and volunteers whose commitment and creativity makes this programme such a powerful force for good. They show why our city is such a special place.”