At its core, the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme aims to ensure children don’t go hungry during school holidays while providing enriching activities. But across Lincolnshire, one initiative is showing how this government-funded scheme can deliver something far more profound – genuine transformation in young people’s lives.
The Lincolnshire County Council’s HAF programme provides free holiday clubs for pupils from reception to year 11 who receive benefits-related free school meals. Running during the summer, Christmas, and Easter holidays, these clubs ensure children receive healthy, nutritious meals while maintaining physical activity levels.
Beyond nutrition, the programme helps children develop a better understanding of food and health-related issues while participating in engaging activities. Participants have opportunities to socialise, develop new skills, and gain confidence in a supportive environment.
Among Lincolnshire’s HAF providers, the Strong Girl Squad (SGS) stands out with its unique mission. Since Summer 2022, this initiative has focused specifically on engaging teenage girls in strength training and exercise, creating a safe space for them to build both physical and emotional strength.
The SGS four-hour programme includes strength and conditioning in a fully equipped weightlifting gym, healthy hot meals and snacks, and activities designed to help participants develop new skills. Led by an all-female team of coaches and volunteers from the CrossFit and strength conditioning community, SGS aims to help young women find confidence in gym spaces.
Understanding that material barriers can prevent participation, the organisation collects donations of gently used gym wear, trainers, sports bras, toiletries and personal hygiene items to ensure every girl can fully engage regardless of their circumstances.
For 13-year-old Ceci, walking through the doors of her first SGS HAF club in Summer 2022 was an act of courage. Her mother Keely had informed the staff about Ceci’s autism diagnosis, her struggles in social environments, and ongoing mental health challenges. Staff were advised that Ceci might not engage or speak much
True to this warning, Ceci’s first days were quiet. She often removed herself from group activities, though always staying close to a volunteer or coach. The SGS team reassured her that she could participate as much or as little as she wanted. .
True to this warning, Ceci’s first days were quiet. She often removed herself from group activities, though always staying close to a volunteer or coach. The SGS team reassured her that she could participate as much or as little as she wanted.
It wasn’t until the third day that Ceci began to relax, speaking for the first time and even making a joke to Kristen, the Programme Lead. What followed was remarkable consistency – Ceci attended all 16 days of the SGS HAF that summer, even celebrating her 14th birthday at the club.
“Being autistic, Ceci struggles at times with emotions,” her mother recalls. “I can still remember when she attended on her birthday that first summer, she welled up telling me about how lovely everyone had been that day. Her self-esteem started to flourish!”
True to this warning, Ceci’s first days were quiet. She often removed herself from group activities, though always staying close to a volunteer or coach. The SGS team reassured her that she could participate as much or as little as she wanted.
The impact of SGS on Ceci’s life extended far beyond the holiday periods. Since that first summer, she has attended every single Strong Girls Squad Holiday Club Day and started attending LN CrossFit Teens classes twice weekly. Her commitment to the programme even led her to request a week’s work experience with SGS in 2023.
Now, Ceci volunteers on the Strong Girl Squad Junior Advisory Board, a group of 14–16-year-olds who meet regularly to help the organisation better serve teenage participants. The transformation has been remarkable – coaches have witnessed her grow from “an anxious, silent child to a confident, and often hilarious young woman, usually found at the centre of a clutch of equally confident and hilarious young women.”
The changes have been noticed at school too. Her deputy head reported: “She is a changed child. When I asked her about Strong Girl Squad, she could not stop talking or smiling. She literally lit up. It’s the most she has ever spoken to me at school.”
A teacher added: “Ceci is confident to raise her hand in class now and exhibits far more belief in herself.” This newfound confidence even led her to deliver her Spanish oral essay on the club.
For Ceci’s mother, one moment signalled the programme’s true impact: “I knew that Strong Girls was going to be amazing for her when she started talking about the other girls there, and that for the first time in her whole school life she felt that she finally fitted in somewhere. Strong Girls accepted her for who she is and accepted her quirky ways!”
The result has been transformative: “Although she still struggles with self-confidence at times, she is a completely different girl to when she first started at Strong Girls.”
While Ceci can officially participate in Strong Girl Squad until she’s 16, the organisation is exploring ways she can remain involved after “aging out” of the programme. Options include volunteering as an assistant at future clubs, continuing her role on the Junior Advisory Board, or potentially receiving funding to take her CrossFit Level 1 Coaches Certification.
While Ceci can officially participate in Strong Girl Squad until she’s 16, the organisation is exploring ways she can remain involved after “aging out” of the programme.
Options include volunteering as an assistant at future clubs, continuing her role on the Junior Advisory Board, or potentially receiving funding to take her CrossFit Level 1 Coaches Certification.
Kristen Ingraham-Morgan, Founder and Director of Strong Girl Squad CIC, expresses pride in all participants “by virtue of the fact that they are willing to try something new and scary.” But she acknowledges feeling especially proud of Ceci “for her consistency and determination, and her willingness to be herself once she found a group of people who love her just the way she is.”
The success story reflects the potential of the HAF programme when delivered with vision and compassion. As Ingraham-Morgan notes, Lincolnshire County Council’s support has been instrumental: “Their fantastic staff and management deserve a healthy share of the pride and success that we have enjoyed.”
Through initiatives like the Strong Girl Squad, Lincolnshire’s HAF programme isn’t just addressing holiday hunger – it’s building strength, confidence, and community for young people who need it most.
Aside from the excellent work done at Lincolnshire, SEN HAF schemes exist across the UK. To find one near you there are various options. Some schools already run them or have rented out premises for them, and they can usually provide you with a list on excel of all the ones that will be running in your area with the contact details. In addition, your local council will have a dedicated team who will have a list of the ones they are involved with, via funding them or by other means. We recommend the following: Research carefully through the wide array on offer and make enquiries a long time beforehand. Check what SEN access these schemes have and if they have specialist SEN staff available to support. Schemes vary hugely depending on their model and funding.
Check the area and distance for your children to attend as some schemes are in either unfamiliar or hard to get to areas. We also recommend that you check what facilities, and equipment will be available to ensure these are suitable for your needs. In recent years many independent providers have begun offering SEN HAF support, including well known charities and organisations so there is lots of choice available, but numbers tend to be limited to plan and you may wish to consider starting your own if you want something that matches the needs of your setting.
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