A PAIR of unlikely Hampshire celebrities have teamed up to deliver free online holiday activities for young people.

Hampshire-based TV star and presenter and a footballer from Southampton Football Club are among those who have partnered up with Southampton City Council to deliver free online activities for children and young people over the school holidays.

The activities are taking place online this week starting from today, April 12, and are free to join for any child or young person and their families in Southampton.

There is a varied choice of activities on offer for everyone from budding naturalists to the football stars of tomorrow.

They have been arranged by Southampton City Council as part of the government-funded Holiday Activities and Food Programme.

Highlights include a video Q and A Chris Packham where children have had the opportunity to put their questions to the TV star and presenter, and Nathan Redmond, the England and Saints footballer.

Chris Packham is a presenter on the BBC’s BAAFTA Award winning Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch series. He also presents Nature’s Weirdest Events, World’s Weirdest Events, World’s Sneakiest Animals, and Cats V Dogs.

Nathan Redmond is a professional footballer who plays for Southampton FC and the England national team.

To sign up, visit www.online.succeedin.co.uk/shwm-pre-registration-form.

During the pandemic the Department for Education announced that the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme would be expanded across the whole of England in 2021 to support pupils who are eligible for Free School Meals.

Funds were made available to every local authority in England to coordinate free holiday provision, including healthy food and enrichment activities for all eligible families.

In Southampton the programme will cover the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays in 2021.

As well as this, families who are eligible will be able to enjoy a whole range of online activities at SeaCity Museum, the Southampton Art Gallery and Tudor House & Gardens.