Holiday Activities and Food: Summer Highlights

This summer, Ignite! brought the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) government-funded programme to life in Nottingham, delivering a mix of on-site fun and exciting trips to the community. Over the three weeks from July to August, we explored parks, galleries, gardens, and more while building confidence and having new experiences in the city. Funded by the Department for Education through Nottingham City Council, the programme gave us the opportunity to go out and explore our city and open our eyes to new places in the locality. Here’s how it made an impact.

Coming Together

At the heart of our HAF programme is connection between children, families, our team, and local partners. Our programme followed a pattern each of the three weeks: one day of activities in asylum-seeker accommodation sites, followed by a trip the next day to venues nearby such as Colwick Woods, Lakeside Arts, and St Ann’s Community Orchard. These shared experiences created opportunities for children to form stronger relationships with their peers and explore new places that they can return back to under their own steam.

We partnered with different organisations in Nottingham, like the Friends of Colwick Woods and STAA, to bring various activities for the kids like a guided walk and a day at the orchard. From football matches in the courtyard to group walks through Colwick Woods, the joy was in doing things together and helping young people build life skills and a sense of community.

Unlocking Creativity

The summer was full of moments where children could explore their imaginations and try something new. Art activities ranged from watercolour painting to scratch art, clay sculpting, and letter-bead bracelet making to launching our own rockets. While at Lakeside Arts, children observed professional paintings before creating their own patterned artwork. Nature-inspired creativity included fruit-picking, scavenger hunts, and mud kitchens at St Ann’s Community Orchard gave space for imaginative play rooted in the outdoors. These activities helped children see themselves not just as participants, but as artists, creators, explorers and storytellers.

Taking Control

Beyond creativity and connection, the HAF programme encouraged children to take ownership of their play and learning. Games like red light–green light, tetherball, and hoop-and-cone challenges fostered teamwork and the different materials we provided gave children the freedom to come up with their own games and ideas. Forest ranger activities in Colwick Woods - spotting insects, measuring trees, and discovering the historic icehouse - gave children a chance to lead their own learning journeys.

As one young participant put it after visiting Lakeside:

“Can we come here tomorrow? It’s so fun!”

Parents also noticed the impact:

“It was very good, I want to come back here again”

"What you do makes a difference, thanks so much'

The numerous day trips helped parents in discovering new places that they could visit for a fun day with the children. This summer proved that when we combine connection, creativity, and confidence-building, we give children more than just a holiday, they gain experiences that can shape their futures.

Written by Ezichi, Summer 2025 HAF Programme Assistant