HAF Annual Report 2024/25
Feedback and surveys
Parent/carer survey
Over the course of the Easter, Summer and Christmas 2024 delivery periods, we received 404 responses to our survey:
- 53% of respondents said their children gained confidence
- 98% of children and young people 'really enjoyed' or 'enjoyed' the clubs
- 85% of children or young people 'really enjoyed' or 'enjoyed' the meals provided at the clubs
- 56% of respondents said their child or young person made new friends at HAF provision
- 50% of respondents said their child or young person had been more physically active since attending HAF
- 48% of respondents said their children learnt new skills
Feedback from families
‘Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for you and your team helping me at the last-minute secure Vouchers for R. R has autism and really struggles but.... he managed 3 days.
Yesterday and today, he went to Logiscool. Lego coding. R rarely says he enjoyed or loved something... it is usually an adult or teacher who will encourage words of positivity. When I got him, he was so excited. I mean really excited and said, ‘I love it here.’ He rambled on at one hundred miles an hour telling his aged mother (me) all about how he had coded something, and he had to test a product. He went there and when we pulled up, he was beaming from ear to ear.
He had an SEN teacher 121 and I can honestly say my son has had the best time ever. To leave your child in a new place when they are more vulnerable and less able to express emotions, needs and problems is so hard. My anxiety levels go through the roof. I know they are all trained but to hear him burst with genuine excitement about going, been and talking about it to Granny on the phone is a first.’
Parent 2
‘We were kindly offered a place for breakfast with Santa for me and my son through the HAF programme.
He is 8 years old and finds loud, crowed spaces difficult. He has ASD and ADHD and sensory processing difficulties.
From the moment we arrived it felt magical! We had a lovely warm welcome from staff and felt completely at ease. My son loved making his own hot chocolate with a member of atmosphere, enjoyed our special breakfast together.
He was very excited when Santa arrived and got a lovely gift which he loved. There was a lovely pack on the table with activities and sensory toys that kept him entertained during the morning. It was a warm relaxed atmosphere, and my son got the opportunity to meet Santa in a diverse nurturing setting. Thank you so much for having us.'
Parent 3
‘Both my children did a variety of the different clubs and absolutely loved them! My daughter
attended Mama Bee’s sessions and made lots of new friends learnt new skill and did fun
activities. My son attended the football club and Longridge and thoroughly enjoyed himself, he is normally a shy boy but has grown in confidence, made new friends, and got a chance to take part in things he would not normally do.’
Parent 4
‘My son loved his time at Supreme Education. He is waiting for the next one! The staff were all brilliant, the ops manager was always on site if needed to be spoken to and introduced herself too. Loads of activities and fun things, cooking- he would never make anything healthy!’
Parent 5
‘This summer my daughter attended the holiday programme at Iver, I have to say it came at the perfec time, allowing me to do some extra hours at work which was handy. Every day she attended she had a great time, making so many new friends, and getting to try new activities.’
Parent 6
‘My children enjoyed these sessions more than any other they have ever done. Usually, activities are just sports, but this involved animals, farming, cooking, fishing, packing community food packages...all sorts of things they would not normally have access to.
The staff were also amazing. It seemed like they were well experienced in working with and engaging with young people and my boys really liked them. I wish all young people would have the opportunity to experience activities at Restore Hope. The positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing would be immense and this is a gem of a provider that the council should continue to support.’
Feedback from HAF club providers
'We are OurSpace Childcare and serve the area of Elmhurst in Aylesbury. This is our third year participating in the HAF programme. The area of Elmhurst (Elmhurst School), represents a lower socioeconomic background with a high percentage of children with SEN. Over the past few years, we have built good relationships with families and children. This has been good for retention and continuity of care for our children with additional needs. They thrive in routine and familiarity, meaning they will always want to return.' - OurSpace Childcare
'We had numerous positive stories throughout the day. The young people that attended have suffered immensely throughout their lives with various challenges and trauma. However, due to creating a safe and fun environment for these young people we were able to witness a new side to them which showed off their skills and talents in such a moving way'. - Aylesbury Youth Club
'We had a boy who was 9 and was not very confident and a bit disruptive. He wasn’t keen to engage when he first arrived and found it hard to settle. He absolutely loved the beatbox workshop and joined in after initial hesitation. He turned out to be very good at it and this in turn raised his self-esteem. He went on to play a big and positive part of the rest of the day, engaging with his peers and beatboxing until he went home!' - Treehouse Education
'At our recent HAF Summer holiday programmes, we were fortunate to receive support from a group of fantastic volunteer coaches from Nike. We have teamed up and created a working partnership with Nike who run their own scheme to support the community. Their involvement brought a wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm, and professional expertise to our program, making a huge impact on the children who attended. It also created a cool vibrant look for our camp!' - BM Youth