BWitC Provides Holiday Activities and Food to Local Community

As we enter our final week of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) sessions across Bolton, BWitC are proud to recognise the remarkable efforts our team and partners have made in delivering free activities and lunches to the local community this summer. This year marks the third consecutive year that BWitC has participated in the HAF initiative, funded by the Department for Education, providing crucial support during Summer, Winter, and Spring school holidays.

This year’s HAF program, ran from July 22nd to August 23rd, was designed for young people aged 8-17 years old and offered four weeks of activities across multiple locations, including Sutton Estate Community Centre, St James’ School, and Queens Park. The St James’ HAF program was delivered in collaboration with our New Bury Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) partners, including New Bury Boxing, Great Lever and Farnworth Voice, and 1 Message. So far, 68 young people have participated in the St. James’ HAF provision, enjoying activities such as football, boxing, multi-sport, cooking, gaming, arts and crafts, and other fun games.

On Wednesday, August 14th, BWFC Chairman Sharon Brittan joined us at our St James’ session, meeting with young attendees and staff. Speaking on her visit, Sharon said, “I enjoy coming into the Community in Bolton and seeing the impact the Community Trust has. I find it incredibly humbling”

“I hear about their journeys and their stories and I find it fascinating that initially they maybe struggle to listen to what I’m saying to them but when I start to talk to them about the impact of kindness and honesty, looking after your family, doing good and the power of God and faith and suddenly they’re all listening and they’re all asking questions. That is the power of the Football Club and the Community working together to impact young people’s lives”

When asked about the staff Sharon said, “The staff here are incredible. It’s recognising these people and what they do and the power to make change in the world that we’re living in now”

This summer, we also introduced a new HAF program at Sutton Estate Community Centre, delivered by our BWitC staff. This new venue allowed us to reach over 38 young people in the local area, providing them with opportunities to engage in activities such as football, multi-sport, gaming, arts and crafts, and other fun games. Each participant also received a free lunch as part of the program.

On Tuesday, August 13th, BWFC First Team players Gethin Jones and Kyle Dempsey visited Sutton Estate Community Centre, spending time playing Xbox, indoor cricket, and table tennis with the young attendees. Reflecting on his visit, Kyle Dempsey said, “It’s been great getting down here and interacting with the kids. You can see how much it meant for us to just be a part of it.”

Gethin Jones added, “It’s good for us to come support the community and come see the kids. Throughout the whole season they come and support us on a weekly basis, both home and away, so it’s important for us First Team players to give back to the Community.”

In addition to our HAF program, Sutton Community Centre has served as a collection site for Urban Outreach’s Bolton Lunches initiative. This project, aimed at ensuring that no child goes hungry during the holidays, is open to all young people aged 4-18 years old. Young people have been able to pick up a free lunch from BWitC staff at Sutton Community Centre every day of the summer holidays between 11am-12pm. As of August 13th, this initiative has seen 95 individuals collect 517 lunches.

Our mission at BWitC is to work toward a connected Bolton without disadvantage, and through HAF, we have been able to provide healthy meals, enriching activities, and free childcare while promoting health, wellbeing, and learning. We are proud of the impact this program has had on our community and remain committed to supporting Bolton’s young people in the years to come.