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Struggling families in Nottingham are set to receive additional support during the October school holidays, including food vouchers and free outdoor activities.

Nottingham City Council has consistently provided £15-per-week vouchers to all pupils who receive free school meals (FSM) during holiday periods. These vouchers are distributed to parents prior to their children’s school break and are part of the Government’s Household Support Fund programme, designed to assist financially vulnerable families in the city.

In addition to the supermarket vouchers, there will be a range of outdoor holiday activities available across Nottingham. During these activities, FSM pupils will receive a free lunch and participate in a programme that focuses on healthy eating, fitness, and mental health.

Both of these initiatives have been funded through a combined grant of £3.68 million from the Household Support Grant Scheme and the Holiday Activity Fund (HAF).

The £1.8 million HAF grant was made available through a competitive bidding process to community groups, charities, and schools capable of delivering outdoor holiday activities in various neighbourhoods across the city. Nottingham Forest Community Trust successfully secured funding to run the holiday clubs.

Earlier this year, Nottingham City Council appointed two lead organisations to help facilitate these activity sessions: Nottingham Forest Community Trust and Trent Bridge Community Trust.

The HAF funding has been allocated from the Department for Education with specific criteria, requiring support for addressing holiday hunger to be provided through FSM pupils attending holiday clubs.

Councillor Cheryl Barnard, Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Education at Nottingham City Council, said: “We remain in a national cost-of-living crisis and support like this makes a huge difference for hard-working people across our city facing an extremely challenging time. We want to help in every way we can.

“We know that these supermarket vouchers and free activity clubs can be a lifeline for families across the city and I’d urge parents to take a look now at what’s on offer in their area to make a booking.

“Nottingham has around 15,000 children eligible for free school meals and is right and proper that we are given this funding to ensure healthy meals for children in need.”

Calum Osborne, CEO of Nottingham Forest Community Trust, said: “We are delighted to once again be part of this great initiative aimed at supporting families in Nottingham during the half-term holidays after successfully delivering the programme during the summer.

“At Nottingham Forest Community Trust, we believe in the power of community and are committed to providing free activities and meals that promote and support healthy eating, fitness, mental health and learning. Together with our partners, we continue our mission to make a positive impact on the lives of children and families in our wonderful city.”

Shamas Mohammed, HAF Project Co-Ordinator at the Trent Bridge Community Trust, said: “Continuing on from our summer delivery, this is a positive and active program for young people to attend our sessions. It keeps them active, is fun, helps them make new friends and learn skills, which will enable them to reach their potential and to make positive contributions to their communities.”

Parents can book spots using their e-voucher codes, which will be distributed by their child’s school. If anyone receiving benefit-related FSM has not received an e-voucher, they can contact FreeFunandFood@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.

Additionally, there are a limited number of places available for targeted children who do not qualify for FSM, and these will be allocated by the schools.

To enrol in this October’s holiday clubs, parents are advised to check their emails, as eligible children should have received a voucher code and a link to book sessions, where they can find information on dates and times.