Wimborne’s award-winning Museum of East Dorset is urging local parents, carers and grandparents who may be eligible for the government’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) scheme to make the most of free summer holiday workshop places before they are booked up.
With the cost of living continuing to put pressure on household budgets, the long school summer holiday can be an expensive and worrying time for families. Days out, activities and meals can quickly add up, especially for parents and grandparents looking after children while school is closed.
Through Dorset Council’s School’s Out HAF programme, children who are eligible for benefit-related school meals can attend selected Museum of East Dorset summer workshops free of charge. Each session includes a practical activity, a hot lunch, a small gift, the chance to choose a book to take home and access to the museum, heritage garden, café and Summer Minions Trail.
The museum is offering a programme of workshops for children aged 6 to 16, including nature activities with National Trust rangers from Kingston Lacey and yoga and mindfulness led by specialist children and teens yoga teacher Clary Hughes. There’s also a chance to learn circus skills and try your hand at sewing. The sessions are designed to be welcoming and inclusive for all abilities, including children with SEND.
Jackie Huggett, Learning and Family Officer at the Museum of East Dorset, said: “We know the summer holidays can be a real financial worry for many families. We want parents and grandparents who are eligible for HAF-funded places to know that these workshops are here for them.”
She added: “The museum is an interesting, interactive and inclusive space where children can learn new skills, have fun, make friends and enjoy a healthy hot lunch. We would encourage anyone who thinks they may be eligible to apply for their HAF code and book as soon as possible.”
Families who are not eligible for a funded place can still book places at £25 per child.
Eligible families must provide their HAF code at the time of booking. To find out more and sign up for a code, visit Dorset Council’s HAF programme page: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/haf-programme.
For a full list of the summer workshops visit Events – Museum of East Dorset