MORE than 2,000 disadvantaged children across Somerset will be offered the chance to enjoy food, exercise and friends over the Easter school holiday.

Somerset County Council has joined with Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP) to organise a programme of activities aimed at countering the triple inequalities facing the county’s most disadvantaged five- to 16-year-olds – holiday hunger, physical inactivity, and social isolation.

Organisations across Somerset will be offering four half days of activities to children in receipt of free school meals as part of the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF).

There will be face-to-face activities as well as a virtual offering that includes modelling workshops with Aardman Animations, science and drama workshops and more.

There are also some charged spaces available for children who do not qualify for free school meals.

Families will hear from schools about the provision available in their area.

Resources needed for the workshops will be sent home to children, along with food boxes, which include ingredients for breakfast and lunch for a week, supplied by Morrison’s.

SASP chief executive Jane Knowles said: “SASP are delighted to co-ordinate these fun and enriching holiday activities on behalf of the county council.

"We are so proud of our awesome and important local providers who have stepped up to the challenge of providing over 2,200 places for children in under five weeks in a Covid secure way.”

Cllr Frances Nicholson, lead member for children’s services at County Hall, said: “Somerset County Council has committed to extending free school meals provision for vulnerable families over the Easter holidays and we are pleased to be able to take this support further through HAF.

“It is really good to see that Somerset has been able to arrange such a wide and varied offer of activities for these children to enjoy in the Easter holidays.”

To ensure all young people have access to activities and resources over Easter, a resources hub has been created of ideas and resources for sports challenges, arts and crafts, music and drama, wellbeing, food and much more.

And look out for live cook-alongs hosted on social media during the first week of the holidays.