Youth Engagement Solutions (YES) has teamed up with Teth and Brent Council to deliver a superb Fit and Fed summer holiday programme for Brent’s children.
The local initiative is being run by Carmen Llorente, CEO Youth Engagement Solutions Ltd, and Trudy-Ann Teth Manager and is a response to demand from the existing StreetGames' network and a growing body of research into the triple inequalities of holiday hunger, isolation, and inactivity.
The Brent programme is running until Friday August 30 (10am-3pm) and costs £4 per child each day or £100 for the full 5-week programme.
There are free services available to those who receive free school meals and a freshly prepared lunch main course and dessert are offered daily, while food goody bags are also gifted to each child when they go home.
Activities for the children include martial arts, football, t-shirt printing, basketball and whole host of fun games.
Playfinder helped secure discounted booking rates for outdoor football sessions at the popular Ark Elvin Academy while the rest of the activities are being hosted at Bridge Park Leisure Centre on Harrow Road.
In developing the programme, StreetGames has used its decade of experience leading this sector to activate children in poor neighbourhoods, and engaged with government, the devolved administrations, academics, retailers, corporate companies, food charities, the Church of England, and community food providers.
Llorente said: "Hunger and inactivity are major contributors to antisocial behaviour, obesity and isolation.
"Children and young people who engage in the Fit & Fed programme, not only become happier and healthier individuals. they also make new friends, become more tolerant of others, learn to work as a team and become more confident.
"These changes are regularly reported by their coaches and their parents or carers."
Jamie Foale, Playfinder chief executive and co-founder, added: "Sport and physical activity play a huge role in benefiting local communities and no one should be denied the opportunity to get involved, especially children. Fit and Fed is a wonderful initiative and we're proud supporters of the project."
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