The federal government recently announced a noteworthy three-year extension of the Time2Move holiday programme. This program is intended to help families with kids between the ages of 5 and 16. This program provides essential enrichment activities and healthy meals to children. It serves as a powerful defense against the everyday food insecurity dangerous lower-income families face all summer long. The programme has been supported by a national investment of £600 million. This funding will ensure that all eligible children, with a focus on children receiving benefits-related free school meals, can enjoy these resources in full without any cost.
Of course, the Time2Move programme provides a range of fun activities, but more importantly it ensures that healthy food options are available for the children who have signed up. Tim Marrion, active travel partnership manager for Active Cornwall, spoke of the importance of this type of initiative. He noted that school breaks, including winter break, can present especially acute challenges for families living paycheck to paycheck.
“We know that school holidays can bring particular challenges for families on lower incomes and children can face triple inequalities of social isolation, poor diet and low levels of physical activity over the holiday periods.” – Tim Marrion
Research has found that kids from lower income families are especially at risk during the holidays. Yet socially, they might be more isolated from their peers. Furthermore, they may have difficulty obtaining healthy food options and participating in physical activity. The Time2Move programme longterm intends to reduce these inequalities by offering diverse, structured and fun activities that encourage healthy and active behaviours.
Marrion emphasized the community engagement program’s positive effects, saying that the program reaches over 12,000 children and their families annually. The extension of funding will help us continue providing these essential services. This assistance makes sure that families don’t slip through the cracks with the services that they need.
“Through our Time2Move programme we make a real difference for over 12,000 children and their families each year, so this funding extension is very welcome news.” – Tim Marrion
The government has confirmed that full funding for the Time2Move holiday programme will remain available for those eligible based on benefits-related free school meals. This commitment underscores the importance of addressing the pressing issues that arise during school holidays for families most in need.
