News7 August 2024

Clarion Futures awards £45k to projects providing free activities for children over the summer

Organisations based in Clarion communities will deliver a range of free activities for children and young people aged 11-18.

Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group, has awarded £45,173 in funding to support projects across the country offering free activities for children and young people over the summer.

This announcement comes as research published by Coram Family and Childcare found that holiday childcare costs in Great Britain have risen by 6% since last summer, with working parents now facing an average bill of £175 per child per week – over £1,000 for the six-week break. The report also revealed growing shortages of holiday childcare, with drops across all categories of provision in England over the last year.

Launched as a way to help tackle these twin challenges, the Summer Activities Grant Programme offered grants of between £1,000 and £3,000 to organisations based in Clarion communities delivering free activities for children and young people aged 11-18 through the summer holidays.

17 organisations have received funding through this grants programme, including:

Fenland-based social enterprise People and Animals UK CIC who will be delivering a ‘Farm Friendships’ project providing animal and nature-based therapeutic opportunities and skills development activities;
Bentswood Community Partnership in Haywards Heath who will be providing weekly sessions for children, specifically those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), on growing vegetables and simple cooking. This will encourage healthy eating, help parents and carers spend less on their weekly shop and also build self-confidence in the young people; and
Edgware-based charity Keep Rolling Project who will use the funding to run a project empowering young people from diverse, low-income backgrounds combining skateboarding with architecture through hands-on workshops to design multi-functional public amenities, exploring potential careers in architecture, design and urban planning.

Other organisations to be awarded funding include Bradford-based charity e:merge for whom the grant will help cover the costs associated with running an activity programme for up to 200 young people. The charity has worked with local young leaders to design a programme comprising a week of activities in the local park including sports, arts and crafts and music; a week of sports coaching and competition; a three-day field trip to the coast full of teambuilding and fun; and a range of day trips, walks, cycle rides and visits to places of interest, including activities preparing for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.

Andy Sykes, CEO of e:merge, said:

“I’d like to say a big thank you to Clarion Futures for the funding they’ve given us. The positive activities on offer through our programme will reduce the boredom which some young people feel over the summer holidays and provide opportunities which are accessible to all, regardless of financial situation.

“As well as having fun, we’re hoping that the young people will come away from our activities having learned all sorts of skills and with a renewed sense of confidence and positivity which will support them on their return to school in September.”

Matt Parsonage, Head of Communities at Clarion Futures, said:

“We know that the school holidays can be pressure points for many families, with children from lower income households often left behind when it comes to access to experiences and opportunities. This combined with growing shortages of holiday childcare means that working parents are often in need of a helping hand when summer rolls around.

“That’s why we’ve launched this new grants programme to provide opportunities for children and young people living in Clarion communities, and we’re delighted to be working with so many fantastic organisations to make a real difference this summer and beyond.”

Funding has been provided through contributions made by suppliers to Clarion’s social value programme. In addition to value for money, this programme focuses on how the organisation’s suppliers can provide wider benefits by offering employment opportunities, investing money in improving communities and supporting local projects – the human impact that amounts to social value.

Find out more about the community grants available through Clarion Futures.

Community grants

What is available

The full list of organisations supported is as follows:

Bromley Children and Voluntary Sector Forum (Bromley) – running a girls only boxing and wellbeing summer camp to improve fitness, balance, strength, and coordination, as well as boosting confidence, concentration, resilience, and self-awareness, while reducing stress. The camp will also provide a safe space for girls to discuss any mental health issues they may face, receiving support and guidance from a trusted adult, and will feature workshops focusing on early intervention topics such sexual health, mindfulness and empowerment.
Penge Youth Theatre (Bromley) – a week-long theatre course for local residents aged 11-16, developing team working, public speaking and theatre skills, as well as building confidence, with a performance at the end of the week for friends and family.
Reaching Higher (Croydon) – a 4-week programme, four days per week during July and August, providing hot lunches and a range of fun activities for over 200 young people aged 10-18. Each day will have a range of activities including sports, creative arts and opportunities for personal development, learning employability and communication skills and building healthy relationships.

Keep Rolling Project (Edgware) – a project empowering young people from diverse, low-income backgrounds, combining skateboarding with architecture through hands-on workshops to design multi-functional public amenities, exploring potential careers in architecture, design and urban planning.
SAMA Centre (Tower Hamlets) – a summer camp that aims to empower youth by providing nutritious meals, positive activities, mentorship, and skill-building workshops.
Spotlight Youth Service, Poplar HARCA (Tower Hamlets) – providing funding to expand existing holiday provision, enabling trips for young people to take part in activities including go-karting, laser tag and Go Ape.
Dicing with Life CIC (Rainham) – six days of table top games sessions over the summer holidays with an open, inclusive approach for young people aged 11+, encouraging social interaction while simultaneously stimulating the mind.

e:merge (UK) Company Ltd (Bradford) - an activity programme for up to 200 young people featuring a programme co-designed with local young leaders comprising sports, arts and crafts and music, as well as day trips and a three-day field trip to the coast.
Aspiring Young Minds (Birmingham) – the AYM Sports Hub Holiday Project aims to engage at least 120 young people in a variety of physical activities during the summer holidays, including swimming, football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and dodgeball, as well as a trip to Go Ape.
As Suffa Trust (Birmingham) – expanding the existing Holiday Club which aims to impact young people from ethnically diverse, low-income backgrounds, with a focus on improving physical health through daily sports activities and the provision of a healthy, nutritious meal, providing a supportive environment that empowers young people, promoting healthier lifestyles, stronger social connections, and increased resilience.
The Youth Association (Leeds) – a project run by a group of young Clarion residents to support their community through the cost of living crisis, providing food parcels and volunteering at a local food surplus distribution hub, breaking down negative stereotypes of young people and making older people feel supported and safe where they live.
Foundation 92 (Salford) – providing young people aged 7-16 with the opportunity to participate in two free to access weekly youth work sessions with activities including sports, arts and crafts, interactive games and team building exercises, as well as a free healthy meal.

People and Animals UK CIC (Fenland) – a ‘Farm Friendships’ project providing animal and nature-based therapeutic opportunities and skills development activities, as well as working together to prepare healthy and nutritious meals.
REMO formerly known as CCORRN: Cambridgeshire Community Reuse and Recycling Network (Fenland) – will be using the funding to host Love2Create stay, make and play workshops at The REMO Eco-superstore wellbeing space, with the young people co-creating and enjoying healthy and nutritious meals.
FACT Community Transport (Fenland) – a mobile community hub providing access to nutritious foods and offering healthier alternatives for young people, as well as engaging with them and encouraging them to be part of their community allowing them to have a sense of belonging and pride.

Bentswood Community Partnership (Haywards Heath) – weekly sessions for children, specifically those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), on growing vegetables and simple cooking. This will encourage healthy eating, help parents and carers spend less on their weekly shop and also build self-confidence in the young people.
Hatch Warren and Beggarwood Community Association and The Warren Youth Club (Basingstoke) – 11 fun-filled sessions with activities including sports, crafting and artistic opportunities with the team supporting mental wellbeing and emotional needs, as well as providing a freshly cooked hot meal.

Clarion Futures awards £45k to projects providing free activities for children over the summer

What is available

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