With Christmas just around the corner, Healthy Holidays is back with fun, festive holiday clubs for children and young people across Barnsley.

Funded by the Department for Education, the Christmas Healthy Holiday clubs run from Monday 19 to Friday 23 December. The clubs are jam-packed with fun, winter-themed activities from festive arts and crafts to team sports, outdoor activities, and much more.

The clubs are free to attend for children aged five to 16 who receive free school meals. Take a look at our webpage to find out more about the clubs available and how you can book a place.

This year there’s also the Healthy Holidays Christmas festival, taking place on Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 December. Join us at Elsecar Heritage Centre for a fun-filled festival where you can have fun with the elves at the North Pole, try your hand at circus skills with Greentop Circus, have a feast with our street food stalls, make crafts, play games and much more. There may even be a visit from the big man in the famous red suit. Places at the Christmas festival are open to all children across Barnsley, and you can book onto the festival online at barnsley.gov.uk/healthyholidays.

Cllr Caroline Makinson, Cabinet Spokesperson for Communities and Public Health, said: “Once again our Healthy Holiday clubs are back to help support families and provide fun activities and tasty food to children over the school break. We know that a lot of families are struggling at the moment with the rising cost of living, and we’re really pleased that we’re able to bring the Healthy Holidays clubs back this Christmas to offer support when children and young people are out of school.”