HAF Programmes in Birmingham

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme is a government backed scheme that offers free nutritious meals and fun activities during the Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays. Its aim is to support kids from lower income families – especially those who get free school meals or could really use a helping hand.

HAF programmes bring healthy food, sports, creative activities, educational workshops and wellbeing initiative together to give kids a fun, safe and supportive place to hang out throughout the school holidays.

HAF Clubs are open to school aged kids from Reception right up to Year 11 (4-16 years). Some local authorities including the Council also offer help to kids with special educational needs, those in care or those who are vulnerable.

Getting a meal delivery HAF programme in Birmingham that families can rely on is pretty straightforward. Families can confirm their eligibility through their local school or council, and have a look at external providers like ICare Cuisine. You may need a HAF code or voucher to secure a free place at your child’s school.

While HAF programmes vary depending on where you live, the main aim is to encourage kids to eat more healthily, get more active and take part in fun and enriching activities.

Schools get HAF funding by applying to their local authority (council) which gets funding from the Department for Education. Schools and other childcare providers have to put in proposals showing they can provide healthy food, good activities and nutritional education during the Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays for kids who get benefits-related free school meals.

• Application Process: Schools need to apply through their HAF coordinator, and many councils have a dedicated ‘providers’ portal’ or grant application process.
• Eligibility & Requirements: To get funding, projects have to meet strict criteria – including providing at least 4 hours of activities a day, 4 days a week (typically 16 days in summer and 4 days in spring/winter).
• Funding Amount: Funding is typically around £25 per eligible child, per day, covering staffing, food and activities.
• What It Covers: The funding goes towards nutritious meals, physical activities and educational workshops – often focusing on kids aged 5-16.
• Alternative Delivery: If a school doesn’t apply directly, it can work with local councils, community groups or other providers to host activities on its premises.

We work closely in Birmingham with a wide range of organisations delivering Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programmes, providing reliable hot and cold meal delivery services tailored to children’s needs.

• Schools
• School After Clubs
• Sports Clubs
• Community Centres
• Charities
• Churches

We make it easy for schools, clubs and HAF providers across Birmingham to get reliable, nutritious meal delivery for kids. Our process ensures meals arrive on time, meet dietary requirements and support smooth day-to-day operations.

Ordering Meals

• Place your order by phone or online
• Choose from our varied menu of hot and cold meals
• Select delivery dates and quantities based on your programme schedule
• Let us know any dietary requirements, allergies or special meal requests in advance
• Our team can help with menu planning to make sure meals are suitable for kid

This flexible ordering system means you can book one-off meals or ongoing programme support.

Delivery Schedules

• Deliveries are available 7 days a week, which is perfect for holiday clubs or extended programmes
• Meals are delivered within a set time window to give you consistency
• Timings are sorted according to your session schedule – like when the lunch service is happening at schools or clubs
• Being reliable and on time is key to keeping services running smoothly during the busy holiday activity fund (HAF) periods

• Whether you’re running breakfast clubs, afterschool clubs, holiday programmes or taking part in the HAF scheme, schools need a reliable partner to deliver healthy, nutritious meals to your kids in Birmingham.
• At Icare Cuisine, we make sure that all our meals are child-friendly, healthy and nutritious and meet the school standards with a good mix of protein, vegetables and wholesome carbs.
• By partnering with a professional meal provider, you can reduce your workload and save staff time, allowing them to get back to what matters – teaching and supporting the kids.

At Icare Cuisine, we also sort out dietary requirements and allergy needs safely and professionally, giving you and the parents peace of mind.

Working with a local partner like Icare Cuisine for your HAF meal delivery programmes offers loads of advantages:

• Meals arrive on time at schools or clubs, ensuring smooth operations during the busy periods
• Our freshly prepared menus offer a variety of hot meals and sandwiches to suit all tastes
• Our meals are designed to appeal to kids and promote healthy eating habits
  Working with a local provider means we can communicate with you more easily when you need to make changes
• It also gives us more flexibility to accommodate changes to menus, delivery times or special requests

Our meal delivery service supporting HAF programmes benefits schools, staff and eligible families.

Kids get healthy and nutritious meals that support their concentration, energy levels and overall wellbeing. Staff save valuable time and reduce stress during afterschool clubs and the summer school holidays, while parents gain confidence that their kids are eating well.

Our delivery service can cater for groups of all sizes, offering both hot and chilled meals, and we can accommodate short-notice orders for schools in Birmingham.
Providing healthy meals for kids doesn’t have to be a hassle.

Icare Cuisine offers a trusted, local solution for afterschool clubs, holiday programmes and HAF sessions, combining convenience, nutrition and quick delivery.

You can focus on creating enriching environments knowing every meal is supporting the programme aims and meets the kids’ needs.

Why Choose ICare Cuisine?

• We’ve got over 20 years of experience delivering meals and supporting customers across the UK
• We offer a massive choice of over 200 meals, including hot meals, frozen options and sandwiches to suit every taste
  Kids love our meals which meet School Food Standards and achieve excellent Food Hygiene ratings.
• We’ve got flexible delivery options – hot meals ready to serve or chilled/frozen meals for later use
• Our 7-day delivery service is ideal for schools, care settings and HAF programmes
• Our simple and easy ordering process has support available when you need it
• It can also help reduce costs associated with food prep, staffing and energy use