Creating positive food experiences across County Durham’s Holiday Activities and Food programme

Health Equalities Group has worked in partnership with Durham County Council’s Holiday Activities and Food programme, Fun and Food, to develop a new toolkit for organisations delivering holiday provision across County Durham.

Funded by the Department for Education, the Holiday Activities and Food programme provides free holiday activities for children and young people who receive benefits-related Free School Meals. Alongside offering enriching experiences during the school holidays, the programme aims to ensure that children have access to healthy, nutritious food and opportunities that support their health, wellbeing and wider development.

More than 200 providers deliver Fun and Food sessions across County Durham in a wide range of community settings. Providers are already doing a considerable amount of valuable work, giving children opportunities to learn, play, try new experiences and connect with others.

However, the size and diversity of the provider network mean that organisations have different levels of experience, confidence and access to resources when planning food provision and food-related activities.

To help address this, Durham County Council commissioned Health Equalities Group to bring practical guidance, evidence-informed resources and examples of effective practice together in one accessible toolkit. The resource has been designed to support providers across different settings, regardless of their previous experience or capacity.

Health Equalities Group worked closely with Durham County Council and local providers throughout the toolkit’s development. Their insight helped ensure that the resource reflects the practical realities of delivering holiday provision and can be used flexibly across the county’s diverse network of organisations. At the heart of the toolkit is a simple principle: helping children to develop positive relationships with food.

Although good nutrition remains important, the toolkit moves beyond messages focused solely on what children should or should not eat. Instead, it supports providers to create positive, inclusive and pressure-free experiences that build children’s confidence, curiosity and enjoyment of food.

This approach recognises that children have different experiences, preferences and needs. By creating environments in which children feel comfortable exploring food without judgement or pressure, providers can support healthier relationships with food that may extend beyond the holiday programme.

Health Equalities Group is pleased to have worked with Durham County Council and Fun and Food providers to develop the toolkit. We hope it will provide practical support to organisations across County Durham and help them continue to offer enjoyable, inclusive and meaningful food experiences for children and young people.