Starting this January, FEAST has been working together with our partners to bring more fully funded holiday activities with healthy food directly into Eastfield, giving children and families more to do, close to home.
Eastfield is a community where families often tell us they want more affordable, accessible activities during the school holidays. While there are activities available in Scarborough and the surrounding area, the cost of transport can quickly put them out of reach for families already managing tight budgets. That is why this year we’ve focused hard on increasing the support available in Eastfield, and ensuring it’s easy to access. Working with community organisations, schools and activity providers already trusted by families, FEAST is helping to create a stronger holiday offer right here in the community.
Over Easter, children in Eastfield took part in dance, aerial arts, cooking, crafts, gardening, storytelling, physical activity, Lego building, sensory play and creative sessions. Alongside the activities, children were able to enjoy nutritious meals, try new foods and spend time with other young people in safe, supportive spaces. For families, the difference was simple but important: children had something positive to look forward to during the holidays, without the added pressure of cost or travel.
One of the organisations involved was ConnectEd Scarborough CIC, which delivered its first Eastfield FEAST sessions at The Legacy Centre at Overdale School. The sessions were fully booked within the first week, showing just how much demand there is for free, local holiday provision. ConnectEd delivered four sessions, creating 80 places for children from the local area. Their programme included creative arts, cooking, physical activities, storytelling, sensory spaces and inclusive food provision, designed to make sure every child could take part and feel welcome.
For one family, the impact was especially meaningful. A parent whose non-verbal son had not previously attended this kind of holiday provision was unsure whether he would feel safe and supported. The ConnectEd team took time to understand his needs, put support in place and reassured his mum that they would stay in close contact.
His mum expected him to stay for around an hour – he stayed for the whole day!
Staff quickly learnt how he communicated what he wanted to do, helped him join in with activities, supported him to try food he would not normally eat, and saw his confidence grow throughout the day. His family later shared that, because they knew he was safe and enjoying himself, they gained some much-needed respite during the holidays.
Community Shop Eastfield also joined in the FEAST fun. As a community wellbeing hub, café and retail space, Community Shop provided free meals for children and staff from partner organisations, as well as crafts and gardening activities after lunch. The sessions gave children a chance to enjoy good food, spend time in the café and garden, and learn more about where food comes from. For the organisations delivering activities, Community Shop’s involvement also helped reduce the pressure of providing meals, allowing them to focus on creating brilliant experiences for the children.
Ta Da’nce School of Dance delivered Easter Fun Dance Clubs at Braeburn School, which booked up quickly. The sessions brought together dance workshops, Easter egg hunts, crafts and a visit from AirHoop, an aerial arts company, which proved especially popular with the children. Food was also woven into the sessions in a practical, hands-on way. Children helped choose and prepare meals, building confidence and independence around healthy eating. During one lunchtime visit to Community Shop, children made their own wrap pizzas, ate together, then spent time in the garden learning about food growing.
YMCA Yorkshire Coast also brought Camp Sandcastle to Eastfield, based at St George’s School. The holiday club offered arts, crafts and sports games throughout the day, and proved extremely popular with local families. Bookings filled quickly, with many children attending who had not previously had access to a holiday club close to home.
Attendance was strong, with most children booked onto sessions coming along as planned, and the response from families showed again how much difference location can make. One parent, whose child had previously attended Camp Sandcastle in Scarborough, said the Eastfield camp meant both of their children could take part much closer to home, making drop-off and pick-up much easier.
Families responded warmly to having activities available in Eastfield itself. One parent said: “We absolutely loved your sessions! We have travelled to your Filey sessions before, but these in Eastfield are much better for us!”
Another shared: “My little girl has had an amazing time. Thank you for everything. She’s had a blast!”
The success of the Easter programme also created new conversations about what might come next. Several families asked Ta Da’nce whether regular dance classes could be brought to Eastfield in future, showing how holiday provision can open the door to longer-term opportunities for children and young people, as well as activity providers.
FEAST is not only about keeping young people busy and well-fed during the school holidays. It is also about listening to communities, understanding what families need, and helping bring the right opportunities into the right places.
Lou Morgan, who works with communities in the area, said families and young people in Eastfield often say they would like more to do locally, particularly during school holidays. She added that increasing FEAST activity in Eastfield had provided much-needed opportunities for children to try different sports, hobbies and activities, alongside a nutritious meal.
As FEAST partners look ahead to the summer holidays and beyond, the ambition is to build on this momentum, continuing to make activities more accessible for Eastfield families and helping more children enjoy healthy food, friendship, confidence and fun during the school holidays.