Families in Fleet, Hampshire, can count on free holiday clubs and healthy meals for the next three years after a new funding deal was confirmed in January 2026. Hampshire County Council announced on 21 January 2026 that it had secured Department for Education funding to keep its connect4communities activity programme running through 2028. This long-term plan aims to help local children stay active and well-fed during the school holidays.
The council will receive approximately £3.6 million per year (an allocation often cited as up to £3,599,700) to run the scheme, which is known locally as connect4communities. According to local reporting in the Hampshire Chronicle, the move away from year-to-year funding gives more security to organisers and parents. In Fleet, activities are expected to continue at sites such as Court Moor School and potentially at Hart Leisure Centre.
Local providers such as KOOSA Kids will offer specialised camps that include a hot meal alongside social and physical activities. While the programme is mainly for children who receive benefits-related free school meals, Hampshire operates a discretionary allocation (typically 15%) that allows some places to be offered to other vulnerable children identified by schools, social workers or under other eligibility routes. The next round of these sessions is set to run over the Easter 2026 school holiday (Easter Sunday is on 5 April 2026).
To get involved, parents should register through the council’s HAF registration portal to receive a unique HAF booking code. Once they have this code they can book a place directly with HAF‑approved local providers. The council advises booking early, as places are often allocated on a first‑come, first‑served basis.
