This month we are spotlighting the HAF programme run by Spring Community Hub at Dawson Heights.

As well as being an active SFAA member, Spring Community Hub provides holistic support services for the people of Southwark, with a focus on increasing access to culturally appropriate food, building community, and bringing people out of poverty. One such service is the HAF (Holiday and Fun) programme they run in a few locations across Southwark. The HAF programme is a nationwide project aimed at providing healthy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families, over the holiday seasons.

In this article we’ll be focusing on the HAF programme that Spring Community Hub run at Dawson Heights estate. The programme is run at the estate’s community centre, but in the summer months spreads out to the playground and grassy banks that surround Dawson Heights. Some days on the programme also involve an outing, later this week they were heading to Camber Sands beach.

On the day we visit, the programme is running from the centre. The kids have already ventured outside and are playing in the playground. Inside the community centre we find Rubia, who is in charge of the HAF programme at Dawson Heights. She has just finished the morning check-in, a moment where children and their parents can sit down together and express how they are feeling. On the tables there are arts and craft supplies, games, paints and playdoh. There is also a ‘quiet corner’ set up outside for those who may want a moment alone, and sensory equipment for children with additional needs. Rubia explains that if there are no structured activities planned, the children have the freedom to choose from any of the activities around.

Whilst Rubia is showing us around, there is a sudden flurry of activity in the centre, a few kids run in from the playground, wanting to do something creative. The paints are opened up and soon they are experimenting with mixing colours and hand printing. Rubia shows me a lovely poster of hand prints they made at the after-school club she also helps to run. The creativity is now flowing, one of the mums shares her skills and teaches us and another mum how to make some beautiful paper flowers.

Then the kids run outside again, the sun is now shining, and they play around on the grass with a ball.

At the end of the day, children and adults sit down together to share a nutritious meal from Spring Kitchen (Spring Community Hub’s catering department), important nourishment after a busy day of exercise and play!

Through the HAF Programme at Dawson Heights, Spring Community Hub and Rubia have fostered a safe and relaxed environment where wellbeing is nurtured holistically. It’s not only a space to exercise and have a healthy meal, but also where kids are free to choose what they play, express feelings and be creative.

We left feeling really inspired and happy that this is one of many brilliant HAF programmes across Southwark, supporting children and parents to have active, healthy, and happy holidays. Thank you so much to Spring Community Hub, Rubia and the parents and children at Dawson Heights for having us!