The Easter school holiday can be hard to juggle because of increased food, energy and childcare costs, as well as work commitments.
To assist eligible children and their families during the school holiday, Buckinghamshire Council offers a range of support including food vouchers, holiday clubs and hot meals.
Free digital food vouchers for eligible families
What digital food vouchers are on offer?
Buckinghamshire Council’s Helping Hand scheme is providing eligible families with a digital food voucher code to use during school holidays.
- Easter Holidays = £30 voucher code
You are eligible to receive the vouchers if your children receive:
- free school meals
- early years’ pupil premium
- a 2-year-old funded free education place
These digital voucher codes will be issued directly by schools and Early Year settings ahead of the school holidays. The vouchers can be used in most major supermarkets in Buckinghamshire and instructions will be provided when vouchers are issued. Read more about the free digital food vouchers.
This scheme is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions' Household Support Fund.
Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme
HAF offers free Easter, Summer and Winter holiday activities and healthy hot meals to children in Reception to Year 11 who receive benefits-related free school meals.
What activities are on offer?
- thousands of free HAF holiday club places
- Over 28 providers offering holiday club places in 45 locations across Bucks
- a range of high-quality activities for all ages and interests including day trips, sports, dance, cookery and more
- each child or young person can attend up to four HAF sessions over the Easter holidays
- a healthy hot meal or a suitable alternative is provided at each activity
Parents and carers of eligible pupils will receive an email or text message from HolidayActivities.com which will contain a HAF voucher. Find out more and how to book onto HAF clubs on our HAF booking page.
The HAF programme is funded by the Department for Education and coordinated by the council.
Take a look at our Summer 2023 HAF highlights video below.
View more HAF information for families.
Holiday support, free and low-cost activities
There is support and free or low-cost activities available to all families during the school holiday including those not eligible for free school meals.
Holiday support
If you're struggling to afford or access food:
- visit the council’s webpages for signposting and help with buying or accessing food
- search the Buckinghamshire Online Directory for organisations in your area who can provide emergency food support, including local food banks. Many of these organisations provide food and meals during the school holidays
- view the kids eat free offers
Find out more about the wider cost of living support available:
- help with bills and home essentials
- benefits, debt and money advice
- Council Tax reductions for single parents and low incomes
- Free ‘Cooking healthy meals on a budget’ and ‘Step-by-step budgeting’ courses from Skills for Life x Multiply, Buckinghamshire Adult Learning
- Free adult learning courses for eligible adults for Essential Skills in Digital, Literacy and Numeracy
- Healthy Start Vouchers and Vitamins
Holiday activities
Our Family Information Service webpages and directory include information on local activities and attractions this Easter, including free or low-cost options and advice on keeping school holiday costs down.
Search for school holiday activities and things to do near you on our directory.
You can easily filter by:
- school holiday activities
- free and low-cost activities
- things to do in Buckinghamshire
- free activities
- discounts for families
- parks and outdoor spaces
- country park events
- childcare and holiday clubs
- tips to keep school holiday costs down
- kids eat free
View free and low cost activities outside of Buckinghamshire on Visit England's guide.
Leisure centres
Find your local centre and see what’s on.
Libraries
Visit your local library website or social media channels to view events at your local library.
Love Exploring
Explore the great outdoors right here on your doorstep, using the free and interactive Love Exploring app. There's a range of games to play, activities and guided trails to do throughout the year, when visiting parks and open spaces around the county.
Search Love Exploring in your app store to start exploring.
Museums
From stately homes to ancient monuments, Buckinghamshire has many historic buildings and places of interest to discover.