School holiday activities and support have been well received by many families across the borough.

Newly collated data and feedback about school holiday activities and support which took place during the Easter break has revealed that it was enjoyed and appreciated by parents, children, and families alike, across the area.

An inter-departmental program created by Officers at Redditch Borough Council and led by the Community Safety Team, Sports and Arts Team, and the Starting Well Partnership, through Redditch Youth Providers Forum, worked to provide fun activities and support for families over the two-week break. This project was supported by Worcestershire Children First and Ready Steady Worcestershire.

The team organised themed outdoor activities such as Easter Egg Hunts and Orienteering, as well as providing support through schools for families who would normally receive free school meals.

Over the course of the school holiday, 3000 Easter eggs were donated* which families could search for at 6 different organised ‘hunts’ in Woodrow, Matchborough, Batchley, Winyates, the Bandstand and Blackwell Adventure Outdoor Activity Centre.

At Blackwell adventure families could also take part in a variety of different sports and activities, supported by Redditch Utd and Redditch Hockey Club.

In a bid to help families enjoy Covid-safe outdoor activities, council officers also set up Xplorer Orienteering trails at Arrow Valley Park in partnership with British Orienteering.

One five-year-old resident said: “I like doing Hockey, I never did it before”

Whilst a parent commented: “Great for a free event to have the extra activities as an option afterwards.”

Similarly, another parent said: “Firstly, thank you so much for the easter egg hunt, my boys loved it after such a horrible lock down - it really made their day, thank you. My one son found a golden ticket in his egg and just that piece of paper alone has made him happy (he is 5). I told him he had won a prize - he has asked if he could keep the ticket though!”

Alongside the fun activities, the team have also worked with 13 schools offering support for families in receipt of free school meals. 765 families benefited from a food hamper across both weeks of the holidays.

The team, with the help of community volunteers and partners, also hand delivered 331 Home Picnics to local families across both weeks of the school holidays.

Community Safety Project Officer, Sarah McIntosh, said: “I have to start by saying thank you to our amazing sponsors who provided the Easter Eggs! We would also like to thank the Community Volunteers and Partners because without them this project wouldn’t have been as amazing as it was. We’re really proud of how successful it has been.”

Programme Delivery Officer, Gomez Vincent, said: “It is important to us to make a difference in the lives of local families, so to know how much they enjoyed the events and appreciated the additional support makes it all worthwhile. We’re already making plans with partners for future holidays and hope that they will be as well received as Easter was.”