Gateshead launches affordable Easter holiday camp for kids

Children will get to try their hand at circus skills as part of an affordable holiday camp taking place at The Salvation Army in Gateshead this Easter. 

The Easter Holiday Camp will run between 9am and 3pm Tuesday 7 April to Friday 10 April at the church and charity in Tennyson Court, Sunderland Road. 

Aimed at children aged six to 16, there will be themed activity days with a silent disco, circus skills workshop, Nerf battles and STEM challenges. The camp costs £16 a day including food and is free for children who receive free school meals. 

Captain Tony Kakande, who leads Gateshead Salvation Army said: “Our activity camps are packed with creativity, movement and adventure. We’ve got a fun schedule which will allow kids to try their hand at different activities including circus skills and a silent disco. There will also be arts and crafts, board games and physical activities like dodgeball, football and yoga. We’re aiming to provide a different theme for each day to keep it interesting and ensure they get to try something they otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to.

“Although the school holidays provide an opportunity for fun, for parents it can be a time of stress and worry. A lot of families are being priced out of activities with it not being unusual for a day out for a family of four to cost more than £100. Couple that with the loss of free school meals for low income households, a lot of the parents we speak to feel anxious about how they are going to afford to feed their children let alone provide them with fun things to do. 

“Our message is let us help relieve that stress, we can provide a safe, fun and welcoming environment for children where they can make new friends. They’ll come home having had a lovely day as well as a hot and healthy lunch.” 

The holiday camp is run alongside Active Families North East, which inspires communities to become more active. Gateshead Salvation Army works with Active Families North East all year round ensuring families have access to fun activities to help improve wellbeing. 

The camp is free for eligible children or costs £16 per day including hot lunch. Funding for eligible families comes from the Government’s Holiday and Food Programme, which provides vouchers to families on free school meals with The Salvation Army supporting working families on low incomes. 

If you would like to take part you can book here 

Gateshead Salvation Army runs a number of activities supporting families and young people throughout the week including a kids and youth space on a Friday from 4pm. Recently they have been supporting families who are eligible to sign up for free school meals to ensure vulnerable children are not missing out.