Hubb Foundation Wins £4.5M City Holiday Scheme Contract

Stoke-On Trent charity The Hubb Foundation has been awarded a high-profile contract to manage holiday activities and opportunities for the city’s most vulnerable children.

The three-year £4.5million deal to deliver the Department for Education-funded Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme will see the charity co-ordinate 45,000 free holiday scheme sessions in schools and community venues across the city each Christmas, Easter and Summer holiday. 

It follows the award of £375,000 support from digger maker JCB announced earlier this year to fund half term holiday activities across Stoke-on-Trent.

The holiday enrichment programme, delivered at up to 80 local schools and community centres, targets thousands of the city’s most vulnerable children, including those entitled to Free School Meals and with Special Educational Needs.

It provides activities such as multi-sports, dance, drama, crafts, trips and career-boosting courses all alongside a healthy, nutritious meal.

It will see the Foundation re-investing up to £1million a year into Stoke-on-Trent based community and voluntary organisations who deliver the activity programmes – trusted organisations rooted in local communities - as well as up to 20 local caterers, cafes and community kitchens delivering HAF meals. 

The Foundation has also committed to increasing the number of places offered from 40,000 to 45,000 over the coming years.  

It will also bring on board 10-15 new community or grassroots organisations each year to broaden the holiday programme’s reach and expand opportunities for new voluntary organisations. 

The charity has delivered HAF on behalf of Stoke-on-Trent City Council since early 2021 and has been awarded the contract following a rigorous tendering process.

Chief Operating Officer Adam Yates said:

“This is great news for families and children right across the city who are assured of vital support throughout each main school holiday for the next three years. We are delighted to have been selected as Stoke-on-Trent's HAF provider. It means we can build on the strong foundations of the past five years – continuing to make a real difference to the 19,000* children deemed to be living in absolute poverty – and helping improve the city's health, wealth and overall well-being.

“We work with around 50 brilliant local organisations to give young people the best holiday experiences, make memories and build confidence. By working together our aim is to raise the aspirations of the most disadvantaged children from age five right through to 16 and help them achieve their potential in life.”

Founded in 2019, The Hubb Foundation has delivered more than 1 million meals to families and individuals in need across Stoke-on-Trent. In addition, it runs the JCB-funded half term Hubb Holidays as well as community food support schemes such as Hubb Pots and programmes to help children navigate the huge step of transitioning from primary to secondary education.

Bookings for Summer HAF activities go live on Friday July 10th, 2026. Any families interested in booking sessions can find out more at:

https://www.thehubbfoundation.com/what-s-on-1/