Bromley’s Holiday Activities and Food Programme annual report

Through detailed data analysis, the HAF team has identified key priority areas across the borough of Bromley. These continue to include the wards of St Mary Cray, St Paul’s Cray, Crystal Palace and Anerley, Mottingham, and Orpington.

While Bromley is generally considered an affluent borough, there are notable pockets of deprivation. The eligible cohort increased in 2025, reinforcing the importance of ensuring a well,‑distributed programme. It remains essential that provision is accessible across the borough to effectively meet local need and support equitable participation.

In 2025/26, it is estimated that over 22,000 meals were provided through the programme. These meals were nutritious, filling, and designed to be both enjoyable and accessible for children and young people. All providers were required to offer at least one healthy meal during each session, with many also providing additional snacks to further support attendees.

In addition, we secured supplementary funding which enabled us to enhance support for families through the provision of breakfast boxes and take and make boxes, distributed directly by providers. These additional resources were extremely well received by both children and parents/carers and contributed positively to the overall impact of the programme.

Consistent with previous years, providers reported increasing levels of need among participants, with many children and young people requesting second or even third helpings of food. There has also been a continued rise in the number of parents and carers seeking additional food support, underlining the ongoing importance of the programme and the vital role it continues to play in supporting families across the borough.

Providers continued to adopt innovative and engaging approaches to delivering nutritional education to children, young people, and their families. It was particularly encouraging to see new providers embedding this element within a variety of creative and interactive activities.

Nutritional learning was frequently linked to cultural celebrations and national awareness days, helping to make the content more relevant, engaging, and memorable for participants. Interactive activities such as blindfolded taste testing, smoothie making, vegetable planting, and hands-on cooking sessions were widely used to increase understanding of healthy eating, different food groups, and new flavours in an enjoyable and accessible way.

Providers also actively encouraged children and young people to prepare food themselves, helping to develop essential life skills, build confidence in the kitchen, and promote greater independence. These practical activities demonstrated how simple, affordable ingredients can be used to create nutritious and filling meals, supporting healthier choices both during and beyond the programme.

In addition to nutritional education, providers continued to develop innovative ways of supporting families experiencing financial pressures. Many clubs established partnerships with local businesses and community organisations, including supermarkets such as the Co-op, to collect and distribute surplus food to families in need. Several providers also established their own food bank initiatives or offered coffee mornings and family engagement events, creating valuable opportunities for signposting to wider support services and strengthening connections within the local community.

These initiatives helped to extend the impact of the HAF programme beyond holiday provision, ensuring that families were not only provided with food and activities but also connected to longer-term sources of support and advice.

The diverse range of enriching activities offered throughout 2025/26 remained a key strength of Bromley’s HAF programme. Children and young people were able to participate in a wide variety of creative activities, including arts and crafts, painting, design, music sessions, and more, providing opportunities to develop new skills, express creativity, and build confidence.

A strong sporting programme was also delivered, with well-attended sessions including football in partnership with Bromley FC, alongside activities such as  tennis, boxing, martial arts, and a range of other physical activities. These sessions encouraged healthy lifestyles, teamwork, and personal development, while supporting participants' physical and emotional wellbeing.

In addition, the programme incorporated a range of STEM-focused activities, electrical engineering workshops, coding sessions, and young inventor programmes. These opportunities helped broaden learning experiences, develop problem-solving skills, and inspire interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Trips and educational visits continued to be an important aspect of the programme, providing children and young people with experiences they may not otherwise have access to. Visits included trips to beaches, the zoo, parks, activity centres, farms, bowling venues, museums, and pantomimes. These experiences enabled participants to explore new environments, develop social skills, and create positive memories, contributing significantly to the overall enrichment and enjoyment of the programme.

Overall, the breadth and quality of activities available through the programme ensured that children and young people could access engaging, educational, and enjoyable experiences throughout the holiday periods, supporting their development, wellbeing, and aspirations.

The programme successfully engaged hundreds of families by providing a combination of practical food support, nutritional education, and access to wider community services. A key element of delivery was the provision of food education and support activities, helping families develop the skills, confidence, and resources needed to improve their nutritional wellbeing.

These activities included hands-on cooking sessions and "take-and-make" meal boxes, enabling families to prepare healthy and nutritious meals at home. In addition, many providers offered full-day food options, helping to ensure consistent access to nutritious meals throughout programme delivery. Alongside practical support, families benefited from tailored nutritional education, in the form of nutritional booklets, provided by some HAF providers, equipping them with the knowledge to make informed and sustainable food choices.

Beyond direct food provision, the programme played an important role in connecting families with wider sources of support. Through effective signposting and partnership working, participants were directed towards welfare and benefits advice services, enabling them to access financial support and entitlements they may not previously have been aware of. Families were also connected with local family hubs, community organisations, and support networks, helping to strengthen longer-term resilience and wellbeing. In addition, families experiencing financial hardship were signposted to foodbanks and other cost-of-living support initiatives, ensuring access to both immediate assistance and ongoing support.

The impact of the programme has been significant and is reflected in the positive feedback received from participants. Many families described the programme as a "lifeline", highlighting the crucial support it provided during periods of financial pressure and uncertainty. The programme helped to improve food security by ensuring more reliable access to healthy and nutritious food, while also increasing household resilience and reducing the impact of financial hardship.

In addition, the programme contributed positively to parental wellbeing, with families reporting increased confidence, reduced stress, and greater engagement with both programme activities and the wider community. By combining practical support with opportunities for learning and social connection, the programme has continued to make a meaningful difference to the lives of children, young people, and families across Bromley.