Free meals and activities in Eastleigh thanks to funding bid

Eastleigh Borough Council was successful in its bid for the Marcus Rashford inspired Holiday Activities and Food programme at two top venues in the Borough.

The funding then provided free activities with a meal for three-16 year olds with activities including a craft, physical and nutrition activity as well as a free two-course meal.

For five Wednesdays across the summer a free Family Fun Day was available at Itchen Valley Country Park for 400 children aged 3-10 and their parent or carers.

This included free bus transport from two specially laid out routes from the south and north of the Borough.

• Park Sport helps Eastleigh children reconnect with sports

As well as this, the Social took place on five Fridays across the summer in the outdoor space at The Point Eastleigh as a hangout for 11-16 year-olds with sessions filled with a range of activities teaching participant's survival skills, den building, upcycling and filming.

They also took part in a scavenger hunt around Leigh Park and created cardboard armour for their very own nerf battle, celebrating their victories with smoothies made themselves using a bicycle-powered blender.

Cabinet Member for Social Policy, Councillor Tonia Craig, said: “We're proud to have been a successful recipient of this funding in order to provide this vital resource for families in the Borough this summer.

"We continue to support projects that provide resources for those being challenged due to the effects of the pandemic”.

The Connect4Communities project was funded by the Department for Education through Hampshire County Council with partners Xelabus, One Community, Arts Council England and GroundWork.