In the three years since FEAST began, we have grown so much in terms of the activities we’ve offered, the providers we’ve partnered with and most importantly, the families we have reached. That growth would not have been possible without the ongoing commitment, passion and drive of our supporters.
To acknowledge their support, North Yorkshire Together is launching two new award schemes.
- School Engagement Award
- Flying High Awards
The FEAST School Engagement Award recognises the schools in North Yorkshire that go above and beyond to make sure eligible families have access to holiday activities and healthy meals, helping them to thrive. The award has three level, starting at ‘Supporter’, and rising to ‘Advocate’, and then ‘Champion’ – depending on the extent to which the school has shared information about FEAST with their school community and worked with our programme to get maximum engagement with eligible families.
This summer, the School Engagement Award was given to:
Champion
- Coppice Valley Primary School – Harrogate
- Friarage School – Scarborough
- Brayton School – Selby
- Welburn Hall – Kirbymoorside
Advocate
- North Rigton Primary School – South of Harrogate
Supporter
- Keeble Gateway Academy – Thirsk
- Brooklands School – Skipton
Pupil and Schools Lead for FEAST Beki Bulmer visited Coppice Valley Primary School in Harrogate to share their FEAST School Engagement Award (see main article image above). She comments:
“I’m so glad to have developed this unique award, and to have awarded our first seven schools with their certificates. I am looking forward to making more presentations in the 2024/25 academic year.”
Head teacher at Coppice Valley Primary School, Hannah McNamara added:
“FEAST has become a vital part of our support for families. School holidays can be a pressure point for many, and we are committed to supporting our families and pupils all year round, not just during term time. The FEAST programme allows us to ensure our children have the opportunity to attend clubs that are beneficial for their development and that they enjoy. Children who access FEAST clubs return to school with stories of new friends, activities they’ve tried and ready to start the new term refreshed and excited. We really appreciate the positive impact FEAST has on our community, and we are delighted to be a champion school!”
Parent Stacey Meadows commented:
“I’m really pleased that I booked my three children onto some FEAST activities this Summer. They always look forward to getting out and about, meeting new friends and having some new experiences. They loved the football clubs”
This summer also saw the creation of a second FEAST award – The Flying High Awards, created in partnership with the North Yorkshire Council Youth Voice and Creative Engagement Team and a group of young people from Flying High – a county-wide youth voice project for young people with SEND. The aim of the awards is to recognise the FEAST activity providers who go the extra mile in ensuring their spaces and activities are inclusive for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
The awards look at how each provider’s organisation, behaviours and physical spaces are designed to support and include children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities visiting through FEAST and beyond.
This summer, the Flying High award was given to:
- Basecamp
- Mowbray School
- SELFA
- Sensory Den
- Springwater School
- Thunk-It
- Welburn Hall School
- WHISH
- Zen Sensory
Beki Bulmer, Pupil and Schools Lead for FEAST commented:
“Visiting our providers who work so hard to make their activities as inclusive and accessible has been a complete honour. You can’t beat seeing the look on the faces of the children and young people who can get completely immersed in the activities. The parents are so grateful that these activities are available to their children. Awarding the certificates to them is recognition of all the special work they do.”
Jenna Kendell, Behaviour and Safeguarding Manager at Welburn Hall said:
“We were absolutely delighted to receive this award. All our staff know the children and young people well and go to great lengths to go above and beyond to ensure they enjoy using the school facilities during the holidays. At Welburn Hall we are pleased to be able to offer a sensory room, a rebound area with trampolines and a fully functioning farm.”