Exeter Chiefs Community celebrates first summer of HAF delivery across Devon

Exeter Chiefs Community has enjoyed a hugely successful first summer delivering its Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, reaching more than 100 young people across eight locations throughout Devon.

Over the summer holidays, the Chiefs Community team has taken its unique blend of sport, rugby, teamwork and personal development into communities across the county, providing children and young people with the opportunity to stay active, try new activities and make new friends in a safe and supportive environment.

The programme, delivered in partnership with Devon County Council, forms part of the Government-funded HAF initiative, which provides eligible children and young people with access to free holiday activities and healthy meals during the school holidays.

Across its first summer, the community team delivered 21 days of activity, with 108 young people attending sessions at eight different locations.

While rugby remains at the heart of the department’s identity, the HAF programme has been about much more than rugby.

Sessions have incorporated a wide range of sports, games, challenges and team-building activities, using physical activity as a way of engaging young people and helping them develop confidence, communication, teamwork and resilience.

For many of the children attending, the sessions provided an opportunity to try sports and activities they may not otherwise have had access to.

The programme also provided each participant with a nutritious meal, helping to ensure that young people could enjoy a full day of activity while also receiving the support they needed during the school holidays.

Chiefs Community’s HAF lead, Nick Gillard said: “The numbers tell only part of the story, as throughout the summer, coaches have seen young people arrive at sessions feeling nervous or unsure, only to leave with new friendships, greater confidence and a real sense of achievement.

The young people in our Moretonhampstead camp came from a number of schools, and home educated, came together to build a strong friendship group, which has carried on beyond our HAF programme.”

From children picking up a rugby ball for the first time, to young people discovering new sports, taking on leadership responsibilities or simply finding a place where they felt comfortable and included, the programme has aimed to make every session count.

The HAF programme has also allowed the community team to extend its reach beyond its traditional delivery locations and connect with communities across Devon.

Sessions have taken place in North Tawton, Moretonhampstead, Torrington, Kingsbridge, Plymstock, Tavistock, West Buckland and Exeter Athletic giving the community team the opportunity to work alongside local organisations, schools, clubs and community groups.

The programme has demonstrated the role that professional sports clubs can play in supporting communities, using the profile and values of Exeter Chiefs to create positive experiences for children and young people.

Following the success of its first summer, the team is already looking at how it can build on the programme and continue to support young people across Devon during future school holidays.

Gillard added: “We are already looking forward to the Christmas holidays and making a positive impact on our most vulnerable young people, using movement as our social tool.

“For the Community team, the success of the summer has been about more than the number of sessions delivered or young people attending. It has been about creating opportunities.

“Opportunities to be active, to try something new, to make friends, and, most importantly, opportunities for young people to feel part of something.”

With more than 100 young people reached, 21 sessions delivered and 110 meals provided, the first Exeter Chiefs Community HAF summer has provided a strong foundation to build on.