Football and healthy fun on menu at Christmas holiday scheme

One of the 20 Christmas Holiday and Food (HAF) events this week was at Shrewsbury Town in the Community, where on Thursday, young club coaches and mascot Lenny the Lion put 33 children through their paces at Montgomery Waters Meadow.

They have even had a video pep talk from on-form town striker Dan Udoh.

Annabel Gittins, Shropshire Council's HAF co-ordinator, said: "We know HAF has had a huge impact on families across Shropshire because of the really wonderful feedback we have had. Some families say they have had less anxiety by knowing that their children are safe and fed."

The HAF programme has been targeted at the growing number of children who are eligible for free school meals. There are now some 6,000 eligible children in Shropshire, with the HAF scheme in the county receiving about £700,000 from a £200 million England-wide pot of funding.

Annabel added: "The schools tell us that the children have more confidence and self-esteem, and this has a huge impact on their wellbeing."

More than 4,000 children have taken part in HAF activities this year.

Money has also been spent with local businesses, who supplied food to give the children hot meals every day, giving a timely boost to pandemic-hit market town coffers.

On Thursday the children had an extra surprise when Tuffins Supermarket delivered 60 Christmas hampers for all the youngsters who have taken part in the Oteley Road-based football club's four-day scheme.

Harry Delves, commercial director at the Craven Arms-based family-owned supermarket, said: "We are sponsors of Shrewsbury Town and we are happy to get involved."

Inside each of the hampers was a full compliment - excluding meat - of grocery items needed to feed a family of four for two days, including Christmas Day. The load included 2kg of potatoes. Also included were tickets to see Town's home league game against Accrington Stanley on Wednesday.

The children were also given presents by other local firms and donors to wrap for their loved ones for the big day on Saturday.

Adam Jones, who is one of Shrewsbury Town in the Community's programme managers for education and learning of 5 to 11 year olds, said: "The week has been excellent. Dan Udoh gave talks and it is important to have those role models - because it influences the kids."

Based at the Mercedes-Benz Hub at the Oteley Road ground, they offered two courses from 10am to 2pm to the children, one focusing on football and the other on multi-sports.

The hope is that the children will take the food and activity lessons they have learned back to their families - and teach their parents.

The HAF scheme was launched this time last year and Government funding has been extended for another three years. It runs for one week at Easter, four weeks in the summer and one week at Christmas.

The hope is to introduce it to more communities, including in the rural areas where families can be more difficult to reach and bring into the schemes.

As for the children, the ones the Shropshire Star spoke to were excited to be on the scheme.

Peyton Burns, aged 10, from Shrewsbury, said: "I liked learning about healthy eating and having fun."

For Town and Daniel Udoh fan Max McMillan, aged eight, from Shrewsbury, it was all about "playing football and scoring goals and learning how to keep healthy. I scored seven or eight goals this week. It was exciting to see Dan."

Max, who is a would-be centre midfielder/winger, is looking forward to Christmas Day and opening all his presents.

And when he was asked whether he would choose vegetables or chocolate at the weekend, he said: "I would choose vegetables for dinner, and chocolate for pudding."

Ten-year-old Josh Smith, a Town fan from Shrewsbury, whose favourite player is Josh Vela, said he had learned that it was okay to "only have one chocolate bar a week".

But when asked whether he would turn down chocolates on Christmas Day, he grinned widely, shook his head and said: "No!"

But as one of the coaches said on the day: "Everything in moderation."