Lauded by many as a new age of spending for the Conservative party, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced that there will be increased investment in the education and skills sector. In lieu of the Conservative party conference where Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, spoke of “Levelling Up”, the investment puts extra support into communities affected by holiday-related hunger.
After a successful rollout of HAF across the country, the Chancellor has announced a further £200m will be invested annually to provide the programme. For the HAF Alliance and the wider activities sector, continued investment in the programme has the capacity to strengthen wellbeing, support healthy active lives and provide better support and childcare for working parents.
The support, referred to as ‘Levelling up by supporting families and early years’, is built on evidence that the ‘first 1,001 days of a child’s life have a significant impact on their health and wellbeing. Additionally, £500million will be invested over the course of three years to create ‘Start for Life’ services, a hub that will offer families a range of parental support.
Our roundtable discussion this summer hosted by CEO of Coordinate Sport James Moore, and representatives from the HAF Alliance & ukactive, confirmed the vital need for the programme to be normalised in communities across the country. Dr Greta Defeyter, a key researcher in support of HAF Alliance programmes added:
“Now is the time to look at our societies as we build back better. Once HAF programmes are normalised in communities…we’re really [just] talking about investing in our young people.”
With the new budget making the HAF programme a staple for summer 2022, it’s never too early to start planning how your council will meet the demand. Coordinate Sport has built up a wealth of experience with HAF programmes this summer, cutting administrative stress in half. Get the impact you need, without the work you don’t. Choose Coordinate Sport.
Have a look at our success stories or get in touch to book your future provision now.
