Strengthening Communities

Thurrock ActivAte DfE Report 2024

Holiday Activity and Food Programme

Thurrock ActivAte is the name for the Holiday Activity and Food programme run by Active Essex, on behalf of Thurrock Council.

There are 7,616 children on income related free school meals (data for 2024) in Thurrock. During 2024, the ActivAte team used the ‘WONDE’ central booking system to check the eligibility of the children using the schools MIS system. This successfully worked with 100% of schools across the district to release codes to families via a unique booking reference by summer 2024.

HAF Whos it for
Who is it for?
Children and young people who receive income-related free school meals
HAF Prime
Prime Objective:
to offer engaging physical, enrichment and food activities, as well as a nutritious meal
EA Second
Second Objective:
to support communities with free resources, guidance and signposting

Thurrock ActivAte work with nearly 30 locally trusted organisations across the county to deliver funded holiday clubs and memorable experiences for young people, helping to support their physical and mental wellbeing, enhance their skills, encourage friendships and try new activities. Clubs also provide a nutritious school standard meal, helping to reduce holiday hunger.

The 'WONDE' central booking system has been in use for a year, allowing partners and the team to check the eligibility of children using the schools' MIS system. Over the past year, this system proved successful, with 100% of Thurrock schools continuing to release HolidayActivities voucher codes to eligible families via email or text, enabling them to book onto funded local activities.

 
2,500+
unique children and young people supported across Thurrock ActivAte clubs in 2024
200+
different engaging, physical, enrichment and food activities
 
Essential support for communities

Specialist support clubs

Additionally, specialist clubs focused on mental wellbeing, targeted youth interventions and outreach, and SEND support are offered alongside mainstream provisions, that are tailored to meet the diverse needs of young people.

Providing more specialist support in a safe and inclusive environment, these clubs offer bespoke activities designed to enhance children’s physical and mental health, build resilience, and enhance social connections, ensuring that all children, regardless of their backgrounds or needs, have access to enriching and engaging experiences.

 
40
specialist SEND, mental wellbeing and youth clubs offered across HAF 2024 programmes
23%
of unique children who engaged with the Easter HAF programme had SEND
21%
of unique children who engaged with the Easter HAF programme were of secondary age (11-16yrs)
 
The clubs are fantastic! Please don't ever stop running them, they have been an absolute lifeline. My child was happy, fed, well looked after and really enjoyed being active and socialising with lots of other children over the summer.
Parent from Thurrock

Easter HAF Programme

The Easter HAF programme with Activate made a significant impact across Thurrock, offering memorable experiences and supporting families. The initiative provided a vital opportunity for children to stay active, socialise, and explore new skills in a supportive environment.

 
740+
unique children engaged
130+
children & families educated through oral health workshops
36
fun and engaging activity clubs delivered

Activities ranged from multi-sports and arts to Easter egg hunts and baking, ensuring a diverse and inclusive programme for children of all backgrounds. Beyond fun, the programme played a crucial role in enhancing wellbeing and confidence, and supporting families, especially during school holidays.

Thurrock ActivAte partnered closely with the NHS Mid and South Early Years Oral Health team to deliver engaging tooth hygiene education sessions for children and parents across five unique clubs.

Looking ahead to summer, ActivAte are planning to expand the Early Years Oral Health offer by distributing free oral health packs to children, helping to address the high levels of tooth decay in the area.

As a result of the Easter HAF programme, Thurrock ActivAte engaged and supported:

  • 548 Primary-aged children
  • 121 Secondary-aged young people
  • 36 Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
  • 741 Total unique children and young people
  • 3039 Primary attendances
  • 428 Secondary attendances
  • 224 SEND specialist attendances
  • 78.8% Primary attendance
  • 16.3% Secondary attendance
 
 
We used local supermarkets for purchasing food for our weekly menus. At our Thurrock group we had day trips out and used local food establishments. This gave our young people experiences outside the club.
Provider from Thurrock
 

Summer HAF Programme

Being the largest programme of the year, the Thurrock ActivAte summer was a true lifeline for families. Local organisations went above and beyond by delivering RNLI-led water safety workshops and Olympic-inspired “Path to Paris” activities that encouraged confidence and life skills.

 
30
fun and engaging activity clubs delivered
10
community events with 8 club providers supporting Thurrock Big Lunches
3
oral health workshops delivered

As a result of the Summer HAF programme, Thurrock ActivAte engaged and supported:

  • 808 Primary-aged children
  • 256 Secondary-aged young people
  • 50 Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
  • 1,114 Total unique children and young people
  • 8,588 Primary attendances
  • 613 Secondary attendances
  • 499 SEND specialist attendances
  • 72.5% Primary attendance
  • 22.9% Secondary attendance
 
We’re so grateful for the holiday sessions as we can see a change in our child. He has wanted to attend every session, he struggles to make friends however this has been easy this summer. His confidence has increased and we are hoping this will help him when he goes back to school.
Parent from Thurrock
 

Winter HAF Programme

The Winter HAF programme brought festive magic to families, offering unique experiences such as Santa visits, theatre trips, and winter wonderlands, helping lift spirits during the colder months.

At a time when the cost of living crisis weighed heavily, the programme provided not just joy, but real relief through hot meals, food hampers, and inclusive, fun activities, giving young people and families a memorable, festive holidays.

 
35
memorable and exciting holiday clubs delivered
200+
families engaged in unique experiences such as pantomime visits and winter wonderland parties
150+
food hampers were handed out to families, helping reduce holiday hunger

As a result of the winter HAF programme, Thurrock ActivAte engaged and supported:

  • 394 Primary-aged children
  • 213 Secondary-aged young people
  • 40 Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
  • 647 Total unique children and young people
  • 1,351 Primary attendances
  • 335 Secondary attendances
  • 270 SEND specialist attendances
  • 60.9% Primary attendance
  • 32.9% Secondary attendance
 
The day was so well planned and organised, the children came home happy and excited to share their day and the respite for us exhausted parents is crucial. Please don’t take this offer away!
Parent from Thurrock
 

Financial Review

Across the year, ActivAte spent a total of £726,990 to deliver the HAF programme effectively in Thurrock. The funding was allocated across key areas, such as:

Holiday Club Face to Face Provision - £559,291
Working with local partners, Thurrock HAF ran 30+ activity clubs each holidays offering targeted support through SEND, wellbeing, and youth crime prevention hubs. From sports and theatre to pony therapy, bushcraft, and graffiti art, the programme delivered inclusive, enriching activities designed to inspire and uplift every child.

SEND Specific provision - £68,176
The Thurrock ActivAte SEND offer continues to deliver inclusive, low-sensory sessions led by specially trained staff, by creating safe, supportive spaces where children with additional needs can thrive, while giving families valuable respite and peace of mind.

Remote - £0

Marketing and Communications - £10,480
Continuing to reach and engage as many families and children as possible, Thurrock ActivAte implemented many different digital and print marketing methods such as paid social media ads, local magazine ads, flyers and posters, childrens activity packs and family support booklets, promotional banners and more.

Management and Administration - £72,699

Capital and Expenditure - £9,300

Additional Costs - £7,044
Funding supported the WONDE/HolidayActivities central booking system, which issued unique codes to eligible families via school MIS data. All delivery partners were onboarded and received ongoing support through drop-in sessions ahead of and during holiday delivery.

Additional Funding Leveraged

Across 2024, the following money was leveraged to support the delivery of Thurrock ActivAte programmes:

  • Amazon funded Tilbury Sport and Youth Crime - £5,250

Highlighting locally trusted organisations

At the start of 2024, Thurrock ActivAte opened applications for new, locally trusted organisations to apply and become a part of the HAF programme. 23 providers were successful, willing to embed themselves into Thurrock communities, to support and engage families, young people and residents through physical activity, enrichment sessions and food education, enhancing their wellbeing.

Malearn

Based in Thurrock, Malearn was established to support the community and deliver the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme to children aged 4 to 11 years in South Ockendon and Purfleet. Situated in the town centre near several local schools, Malearn offers enriching holiday experiences to young people, including an equal mix of boys and girls with varying abilities, including mild, moderate, and severe SEND.

Being an inclusive club, Malearn prioritises integrating children with SEND with mainstream children and providing close supervision and support, including one-to-one support. The organisation also offers a wide range of activities to help children develop their skills, such as enrichment sessions, physical activity and food workshops.

 

Further Case Studies

Partnerships

As part of the HAF programme, ActivAte works closely with locally trusted organisations to establish key partnerships, helping to enhance their provisions which in return, enrich children’s education and skillset's.

Path to Paris

The 'Path to Paris' initiative by Get Set UK, in partnership with Team GB and Paralympics GB, aims to inspire schools, families, and communities to get active by virtually traveling to Paris for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Following the Path to Paris initiative, the summer HAF programme saw children and young adults with SEND, try inclusive sports inspired by the Paralympics, such as archery, boccia, taekwondo, and athletics. The activities, chosen by the participants, were tailored to their specific wants and needs, boosting their confidence and self-esteem, and were delivered by local partners and organisations.

Read more about the Path to Paris partnership here.

 

Water Safety

With over 200 water accidents annually in the UK, ActivAte partnered with the RNLI to educate children and families on water safety. The RNLI provided specialist training to ActivAte club organisations, enabling them to deliver water safety messages as part of various workstreams. This partnership aimed to reach and support many individuals by promoting key water safety messaging.

Read more about the RNLI partnership with ActivAte here.

 

Supermarket Support

Food insecurity affects many families, especially those relying on free school meals. ActivAte addressed this during the school holidays with nutritious meals, healthy snacks, and food education sessions.

Clubs offer fun food activities such as cooking and tasting, with options like salad bars and colourful fruits and vegetables to encourage trying new foods. This year, local cafes, shops, and supermarkets supported these activities with donations of fresh fruit, snacks, ingredients, and prizes.

Read more about the supermarket support with ActivAte here.

 

Active Essex hold a unique position within the Public Health team at Essex County Council, enabling them to champion HAF at a strategic level across the county. Their involvement in key system boards — such as Health and Wellbeing, Children’s Partnerships, Cost of Living Groups, Community Safety Partnerships, the ICB, and Education Teams — ensures the programme is integrated and widely supported.

Strong working relationships with Early Years, Wrap Around Care, Short Breaks, Libraries, and Levelling Up further enhance collaboration. Through a place-based approach, Active Essex connects closely with community hubs, Children and Family Services, social workers, and referral partners to maximise reach and impact for eligible children and families.

Want to read more about other partnerships?

Children and Young People

Path to Paris

Providing new opportunities to young people

20240830 114955
Children and Young People

Move With Us Leaders Academy

Supporting the next generation

EA CS 8
Sport and Physical Activity

Sport and Youth Crime Prevention

Reducing anti-social behaviour

EA CS 9

Marketing and Communications

An effective marketing and communications plan was put in place to support the lead up to the summer holiday programme, as marketing has been instrumental to ActivAte’s success over the past year, enabling the programme to connect with both new and existing audiences across the county.

By implementing a range of marketing approaches, the initiative has effectively communicated it's support to eligible young people and families, leading to greater awareness and, in turn, increased engagement.

Digital

Digital marketing methods, including targeted social media advertising on Facebook and Instagram, were pivotal in raising awareness of the ActivAte offer. Additionally, display ads across internet browsers helped extend reach and engage new audiences. Infographics helped to show the impact of Essex ActivAte on communities, as well as digital presentations and reports, to help showcase the programme further to stakeholders and local authorities.

Generic bus rear and panels also promoted the ActivAte offer early on in the year, and DAX adverts were piloted ahead of Easter, to 'smart' target specific audiences who would be eligible for the programme, as well as reach new audiences, across platforms such as Spotify and YouTube.

During the summer holidays, two clubs were selected to capture videography on the clubs impact and to showcase the activities on offer that young people participate in.

Print

With print noticeably being a strong marketing advertisement for ActivAte, a range of flyers, posters and guides were created to promote the parent booking journey, helping to support families on how to claim, book and use their voucher code.

Each locality hub received a promotional ActivAte 'kit' containing flyers, business cards, a roller banner, table topper, and table cloth, to support their presence at community events and help raise awareness of the ActivAte offer.

A dedicated leaflet drop in Easter and local magazine ads in Easter and summer were carried out, targeting areas of communities with high levels of deprivation.

Continuing to partner with Community Dental Services, 1,000 oral health packs including a toothbrush, toothpaste and teeth cleaning chart were distributed to families at Easter, educating young people on the importance of oral hygiene.

2,000 childrens activity booklets and family support leaflets were also handed out across summer and winter programmes, to engage and educate children at home, also inspire households on how to get active, courses, community activities, resources and guidance.

Looking ahead to next year, ActivAte will continue to harness marketing as a key driver of awareness, community engagement, and participation in holiday programmes, by focusing on improving the parent voucher code experience and broadening their reach and engagement within local communities.

Share Connect Collaborate Event

2024 saw the first ActivAte, Share Connect Collaborate event take place, welcoming nearly 100 locally trusted organisations who deliver the programme, to celebrate key achievements and share and learn new ideas for their provisions.

Four key workshops took place, including using local insight packs focusing on the valuable insight of local communities and using data to explore how it can be used to reach the right people, using evaluation to show impact and influence others, highlighting the importance of food education, and an introduction to the #MoveWithUs campaign and how providers can get involved.

The day was successful, as it encouraged organisations to network, learn key knowledge and celebrate the success of the HAF programme.

 

Holiday Activity and Food Programme Easter Evaluation

Since 2021, the ActivAte programme has been breaking down barriers by offering dynamic, free physical and enrichment activities, alongside nutritious meals, family support, and food education during school holidays. This initiative has become a lifeline for children on free school meals and those from low-income families, providing robust support to local communities. The continued funding has significantly advanced the programme's impact, which was detailed in a comprehensive report commissioned by Active Essex. The evaluation during the Easter offer considered the social return on investment, impact on young people and families, local organisations, and the wider society.

The programme has proven effective in supporting children, young people, and their families, who now rely on it to feed and care for their children during school holidays. Discontinuing the funding would not only halt this progress, but also potentially reverse the remarkable strides made in fostering resilience and empowering families and communities to thrive independently.

The evaluation highlighted the social, environmental, and economic impacts of the programme, emphasizing its value in improving wellbeing, education, and community development.

The estimated social value generated by the 2024 programme in Essex is £22.5 million, with 250,000 meals provided since 2021 to reduce holiday hunger. For every £1 spent on delivery, at least £4.49 of social value was generated, demonstrating the programme's significant return on investment.

 
£4.49
of social value was generated during Easter 2024, for every £1 spent
£22.5
million is expected to have been generated across 2024 programme in social value
840
local people gained paid employment for Easter 2024 programme

ActivAte's commitment to supporting families and young people through holiday activities demonstrates its vital role in building community resilience and enhancing the quality of life for children and their families. The programme's success underscores the importance of continued funding and support to ensure its sustainability and expansion.

 
My children came home every day full of energy, stories, and smiles, it gave them something to look forward to, and gave me peace of mind knowing they were safe, active, and well-fed! Thank you for everything you do
Parent from Thurrock
 
 
 
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