Full Breakdown
Sheffield Launches Free Summer Sport Sessions for Families
6/27/2026, 11:50:13 PM
Program Overview
Sheffield City Council and leisure operator Everyone Active are delivering free two-hour sport sessions across more than a dozen parks and premier facilities from 20 July to 28 August 2026. Activities include football, rounders and multi-sport games for all ages, with free food and drink. The scheme operates via open-access park sessions and a Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Pass that gives eligible secondary-school pupils unlimited gym, swimming and ice-skating access. The programme also provides free nutrition for children attending park sessions.
Context and Implementation
The six-week school holiday has heightened financial pressure for families, limiting active recreation. To address this, the council provides a HAF Pass to Year 7-11 pupils receiving free school meals; families activate the pass online using a unique code and book slots via the Everyone Active app. The HAF Pass is Department for Education-funded. Eligible venues include Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Ponds Forge, Heeley Pool, Concord Pool, Springs Leisure Centre, the English Institute of Sport (gym) and Ice Sheffield (ice-skating). Parallel park sessions run in Firth Park, Greenhill Park and Gleadless Common without eligibility checks.
Key Figures
- Lorenzo Clark, Everyone Active representative.
- Brian Holmshaw, councillor, Sheffield City Council.
Impact
By embedding expert coaches in parks and removing transport and financial barriers, the initiative ensures high-quality athletic instruction reaches the city’s most deprived postcodes. The dual-pronged model is promoted as a replicable blueprint for municipal health initiatives.
Official Statements
Council officials stress that the initiative eases parental burdens during the holidays and promotes active lifestyles. Everyone Active highlights the provision of expert coaching and affordable recreation for families unable to travel. Both officials emphasized that the initiative serves as a blueprint for municipal health.
Criticism & Opposition
No dissenting viewpoints were identified in the sources.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The scheme provides activities for those who might not necessarily be able to go away on holiday because of affordability.” — Lorenzo Clark, Everyone Active
- “We put expert coaches in place so people can try new things as well as activities they will have done before.” — Lorenzo Clark, Everyone Active
- “, external Councillor Brian Holmshaw, chair of the communities, parks and leisure policy committee at the council, said: "The school summer holidays are always an exciting time for children right across Sheffield, but it can give parents a challenge of how to entertain their kids during the daytime.” — Brian Holmshaw, Councillor, Sheffield City Council
- “These activities are perfect for getting families out and about across the city, getting them active and having lots of fun, hopefully in the sun.” — Brian Holmshaw, Councillor, Sheffield City Council
What’s Next
The programme is presented as a blueprint for municipal health initiatives that other cities may adopt.
