Swindon based Just For Fun Holiday Club welcomed more than 450 children across its Easter holiday programme this year, but co-founder Sean Harper said one of the biggest highlights had nothing to do with attendance numbers.
Instead, it was seeing older children begin stepping into leadership roles after years of attending the clubs themselves.
“It has been lovely to see some of our older attendees start making the transition into assistants,” Sean said. “What may once have felt like childcare because parents were working has become something they genuinely want to be part of. They’re helping younger children, becoming role models and setting standards for the rest of the group.”
Sean said some older attendees are already hoping to become assistants when they are old enough, while others are using the experience to support schemes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Just For Fun Holiday Club, which launched in 2018, provides holiday childcare and activity programmes for children aged four to sixteen across Swindon. This Easter, sessions ran at Holy Cross Primary School, Grange Junior School, Dorcan Leisure Centre, Moredon Sporting Hub and Goddard Park.
Holy Cross proved especially popular during the Easter break, welcoming around 70 children per day. Sean said the longer opening hours available for working parents continue to make a difference. Moredon Sporting Hub also saw its highest attendance figures to date.
Children attending across the Easter holidays took part in Easter egg hunts, arts and crafts, cycling, swimming, sports and team games. The return of Scales of Wonder, an interactive reptile experience, was also popular with children across several venues.
The club also continued its involvement with Swindon Borough Council’s Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF), which provides funded places and meals for eligible children during school holidays.
“Being part of the HAF programme is something we’re really proud of,” Sean said. “You can see the direct impact it has on children and families during the school breaks.”
During the Easter programme, the club also retained its five-star food hygiene rating following an Environmental Health inspection.
Sean said the team is already looking ahead to the summer holidays. “Easter was a real success for us,” he said. “The children left smiling, parents were supportive and the team worked incredibly hard. We’re already planning for another busy summer.”
More information about future holiday programmes can be found at https://justforfunholidayclub.co.uk/
Article from Scott Media
