Edsential are delighted to be coordinating the Holiday Activities and Food
programme for 2025 for Wirral Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council–
Funded by Department for Education.
Applications are now open
Christmas Deadline: 5th October 2025
Provider’s Portal
We have a number of FREE training sessions that support the DfE requirements that help you get started or enrich your provision for children and young people even further!
Unsure if your child is eligible for free school meals?
Did you know that on average, parents spend up to £500 per
year, per child on school meals? There are so many children that are
eligible but do not benefit from this crucial funding.
Our aim is to make as many families as possible aware of their child’s
entitlement to hot, tasty, nutritious meals in school through term time,
as well as the great activity opportunities available to them in the
holidays.
Let’s Grow
At Edsential, we have partnered with Get People Growing, we’re on a mission to make planting fun, easy, and accessible for children and families everywhere. We believe that growing your own plants can inspire curiosity, creativity, and care for the world around us.
We want to see what you’ve been growing! Whether you’re planting with a plant box or using recycled items to grow your own mini garden, post photos or videos of your progress to be in with a chance of winning a £200 cash prize to be spent on something environmental as well as a free tickets for a group to visit Chester Zoo.
Both Chester Zoo and Edsential will be judging for the best recycled planters.
Ensure you tag us on Facebook or Twitter:
@EdsentialUK & Use the hashtag #LetsGrowwithEdsential
Get Growing Plant Boxes
Our Get Growing plant boxes are packed with everything children need to start planting and growing their own seeds from scratch. Each box includes:
Perfect for families, or community groups, these boxes help children learn about the environment, healthy eating, and the life cycle of plants — all while having fun getting their hands dirty.
Grow with Recycling
Don’t have plant pots? No problem! Our Grow with Recycling ideas help you turn everyday waste into creative growing containers. Try transforming:
HAF Impact
A huge thank you to our partners & providers across Wirral and west Cheshire for making the winter Holiday Activity with Food programme such a success!
Here is just a snapshot of the opportunities Edsential HAF provided in 2022.
Contact Us
For more information, contact our HAF team.