Brighton & Hove: Free Multi Sports Festival For Kids With SEND

A new event to support families with children and teenagers with special educational needs or disabilities is to launch in December.

It's part of a programme of free activities and food happening across the city during the school holidays for children who need it most. 

The Inclusive Multi Sports Festival will take place at Moulsecoomb Leisure Centre on Thursday 23 December and is free to children and teenagers, aged 5-18 years, who are in receipt of benefits-related free school meals. 

The fun, inclusive day of sports and games is just one of 30 events and programmes Brighton & Hove City Council is offering in its Holidays and Activities Food (HAF) Programme for the Christmas holidays. A total 1800 individual activity sessions are on offer. 

All activities are free to full time school kids who are in receipt of benefits-related free school meals, and a child gets a free hot meal with each activity.

Joining HAF 2021 for the first time for the Christmas school holidays are Brighton & Hove Albion's Soccer School at Dorothy Stringer School, the FMG Project with their state-of-the-art strength and conditioning gym, the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership, SportsCool at Longhill Sports Centre and others.
 
HAF is funded by the Department of Education, supported by Marcus Rashford and delivered in collaboration with 21 play schemes, community organisations and sport & leisure providers across Brighton and Hove. 

Freedom Leisure is hosting the Multi Sports event, which will feature a range of activities, games and sports, including the chance to try lots of tasty fruit and enjoy a hot lunch.

Participants will be able to choose from throwing and catching using sensory equipment, racket sports, wheelchair activities, games, and music. At the end of the event they get to take their own basic sensory sports equipment home to help them keep active over the holidays.

Parents and carers are required to stay, and siblings are welcome to come and take part.

Support for families at a challenging time

Jamie Lloyd, Lead councillor for special educational needs and disabilities at Brighton & Hove City Council, said:

“We are delighted to be partnering with Freedom Leisure to offer this Inclusive Multi Sport Festival tailored for children and young people with SEND for the first time as part our Winter HAF programme.

“School holidays can be a particularly difficult time for families on low incomes due to increased food costs and reduced incomes, as well as the challenges of finding positive and engaging activities for their children and teenagers.

“Our Holidays and Activities Food activities and events offer a safe and supportive environment where children and teenagers can learn, be active and eat well, as well as make new friends. We are grateful for the continued funding from the Department for Education.

“More than 550 children and teens in the city took part in our Summer HAF, so we are excited to be collaborating with so many providers to offer a fantastic variety of activities across 30 venues over the Christmas holidays.

“We are keen to further expand our provision for families with children with SEND, so it is great to be collaborating more with Carrie Reynolds from Freedom Leisure, who will be leading the Multi Sports Festival. Carrie has fantastic experience in delivering sport and activities for children with special educational needs and disabilities."

"Places on the Multi Sports Festival are limited, so please book as early as possible!" 

Carrie Reynolds has worked in the leisure industry for 20 years, championing opportunities for people and particularly young people with SEND. 

As well as training teachers in making PE inclusive, and manages the Sussex Parallel Youth Games, a Paralympic-style festival of sports that typically hosts 400 children.

The Multi Sports Festival will be facilitated by a team of expert coaches and volunteers, really supporting families.

How to Book

Details: Thursday 23 December, 9.30am - 1pm, Moulsecoomb Leisure Centre.

Entry is free to children and teenagers aged 5-18 years who are in receipt of benefits-related free school meals. 
For others, entry is £5.00 per child.

For full details about the Multi Sports Festival, visit https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/events/winter-holiday-activities-and-food-haf-calendar/freedom-leisure-inclusive-multi-sports

To BOOK: call Moulsecoomb Leisure Centre on (01273) 622266
Other events

To find out more about other free Winter HAF events and activities in Brighton and Hove at, visit: https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/haf