How do we apply?

We ask all providers to complete our expression of interest form. The link and information around closing dates can be accessed by emailing Oldham HAF OldhamHAF@oldham.gov.uk Expressions of Interests will not be considered if they are submitted after the closing dates.

How much will you pay us per child per session – including their food?

We anticipate an average of £20 per place per session, but cost will differ quite widely depending on age, activity type, needs, rurality etc.

We would expect cost per head for food to be no more than £4.50.

How will you decide who is allocated a grant?

We want to provide funding to as many providers as possible who meet our due diligence requirements.

For those that do, we want to ensure a diverse offer that considers locality, age range and inclusion.

We will also be looking to ensure high quality and best value for our young people.

We have a panel of people from across a range of organisations who will assess the expressions of interests and decide how the funding is allocated.

What is the expected number of sessions we have to deliver during the HAF programme?

We are particularly interested in providers that can offer four days of at least four-hour sessions over the winter and Easter school holidays and 16 days of at least four-hour sessions over the summer school holidays.

However, if you can offer less days of activities, we welcome this also as we want to schedule a comprehensive programme of activities. Children and young people do not need to attend the same venue or activity throughout the holidays.

Our venue does not have a kitchen – can we apply?

Yes. Meals must be hot but they don’t have to be prepared on site. Meals delivered to the venue are permitted so long as they are hot and meet the relevant food standards. We encourage partnerships between organisations to meet the HAF objectives.

I am looking to set up a new provision which will include capital costs – can you help?

The HAF grant funding is not intended to cover capital costs, however relevant and essential equipment/resources can be considered.

Do all sessions have to be pre-booked?

We would advise pre-booking if possible but we also understand this may not always be possible – especially for the older age cohort. It’s essential the programme is targeted at children and young people who are eligible so as long as you can demonstrate this is in place – not all sessions will require pre-booking. However, you must have mechanisms in place for participants to contact you to find out how to access your programme.

We run an activity centre outside of Oldham – can we apply?

We are seeking provision within Oldham, so if you are delivering within the Oldham borough at an accessible venue all applications will be considered.

Do we need to offer places to all age groups?

No, unless you wish to expand your existing offer to the full 5 – 16 years HAF age range and the activities you are proposing are suitable for all ages.

Our venue is in a rural area – will you fund travel?

To maximise value and reach, we want to focus funding on activities, not travel. However, we are mindful of the challenges of rural delivery and venues and families often being geographically isolated. We will be taking a pragmatic approach when allocating funds to ensure a range of provision is available across the borough and accessible to families. We ask that provision is within walking distance and accessible by public transport. We can consider transport costs if taking a group on a cultural or enriching activity trip.

How do we accommodate children with support needs?

We would like the offer to be as inclusive as possible so would expect providers to enable children with support needs to access activities. Support for children, who have additional needs, can be provided in a number of ways:

• Asking the parent/ carer to stay to support their child if their needs are complex or require medication.
• Employ support staff to enable children with a range of needs to take part. 

I already run a holiday club with a set programme of activities, how can I encompass nutritional education into my sessions?

Education on nutrition is an integral part of the HAF programme, however, HAF is not school. For children and young people to learn about health and nutrition it will have a greater impact if the information is delivered in an informal way as we are not expecting providers to set up formal learning.

Please think about how you can incorporate a conversation, activities, or games about healthy choices into your sessions.

What qualifications do our staff/volunteers need to serve hot food?

At least one member of staff will need a Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate if preparing food for participants. If using an external provider, they will need to have these qualifications in place and the Food Standing Agency food ratings.

What if a child has booked but does not show up?

We strongly advise providers to communicate with parents and carers and to follow up children who do not attend. We recommend providers have a text/email reminder system set up to minimise no-shows.

However, we do recognise that sometimes small numbers of no-shows are unavoidable so this will not affect your grant.

Can we offer spaces to children who aren’t in receipt of free school meals?

Yes, you can and again this is encouraged however this grant can only cover the costs of children in receipt of benefit-related free school meals. Additional spaces can be offered to non-free-school-meal children either on a paid-for basis by their families or by alternative streams of funding that you can secure.

To ensure that all children receive a high quality and stigma free experience, if a provider is open to both HAF-funded and non-HAF-funded places, it is vital that all of the children attending are provided with an identical food offer and that HAF-funded children are treated equally.

What reporting information do we need to give and when will you need this?

A list of requirements will be sent to you alongside your Grant Agreement, so you know what data you need to collect. To summarise, we will need the following Data:

• Unique HAF code
• Child name
• Date of birth
• Postcode
• School attended (if possible)
• Booking list

What age groups does the programme cover?

In general, the programme covers children aged 5-16 years who are eligible for benefit-related free school meals.

What policies and insurance do I need to be eligible to apply for a grant?

The Grant application includes a checklist. To summarise, you will need:

• Public Liability (minimum £10 million) and Employer’s Liability Insurance (minimum £5 million)
• Safeguarding/Child Protection Policy
• Staff Enhanced DBS Certificates
• Equality and Diversity Policy
• Health and Safety Policy
• Risk Assessments for all relevant activities
• Food Hygiene Level 2 Certificate (if preparing meals yourself or by an external provider)

Can we promote the HAF programme ourselves?

Yes please, we encourage providers to promote the HAF programme of events in as many ways as you can which can include:

• Newsletters
• Word of mouth
• Your website
• Your social media channels*

When posting on social media we would encourage all providers to direct your audiences to www.oldham.gov.uk/HAF, use the hashtag #OldhamHAF and to copy us into your message @OldhamCouncil.

We will also ask you to share images of your activities with us so we can promote these on Oldham Council’s social media channels. You must have consent from the parent/guardian beforehand before emailing them to us at OldhamHAF@oldham.gov.uk