Audience: all schools
Cascade: Headteachers, All Staff
As you’ll already be aware, the Department for Education is providing local authorities with funding to coordinate a holiday programme offer combining healthy food and enriching activities for children and young people who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals. The County Council has commissioned North Yorkshire Together, a partnership between Rural Arts, North Yorkshire Sport and North Yorkshire Youth, as lead provider for the FEAST programme.
We’re delighted that FEAST will be back for the Christmas break, with free places at face to face holiday activities available for eligible children and online resources that all North Yorkshire families can enjoy.
We would be grateful for your help in letting people know about our plans for the FEASTive fun sessions by sharing a letter and activity pack with eligible families.
Named letters, one for every child currently receiving benefits-related free school meals, will be sent out to schools over the next two weeks. The first deliveries will start from 17 November. This named letter will let eligible families know about the programme and how they can take part, so please hand them out as soon as possible.
Activity packs for eligible families will also be sent out to schools in December, to be handed out before you break up for Christmas.
Thank you for being discreet when handing out the letters and packs, we’re very aware that some children may feel singled out.
We also know that some children may be self-isolating at the moment. Please can any named packs for children who are currently off school be posted to their home address. If you would like to be refunded for the cost of postage please let us know.
There may also be a small number of children who became eligible for benefits related free school meals in the period of time between us receiving the information and the letters being sent out. If that’s the case please email hello@northyorkshiretogether.co.uk.
We’ll include further updates in upcoming editions of the Red Bag, and thank you for your ongoing enthusiasm and support! We hope that the FEASTive fun sessions will provide a welcome opportunity for children to socialise, learn new skills and stay active over the Christmas holidays.
If you have any questions at all, please contact us at hello@northyorkshiretogether.co.uk
Thank you! From the North Yorkshire Together team.