This christmas holidays we have space to give 160 children living in Thanet a 4 day free Christmas Experience. We are going to be running 10 am - 2 pm December 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd at Bromstone Primary School and Quarterdeck Youth Centre. We get funding from HAF to pay for children on Means Assisted Free School Meals as part of the Marcus Rashford Fund to feed children in the school holidays that might not get a hot meal without their school dinner.

The funding covers a 1-10 staffing ratio and food for a hot meal but it is tight. We have a wonderful lady called Val that shops around 5 supermarkets and Our Kitchen on the Isle of Thanet to help us get our food in budget. We also found lots of our children were coming in to us hungry so we also provide breakfast which isn't covered by the funding.

We have lots of children with additional needs that need a higher staffing ratio than 1-10 to help them join in and have fun with us. It costs us £360 for 4 days to get a 1-1 trained staff member to support a child. We also have to find the correctly qualified and experienced staff member that wants to work in the school holiday.

We have gratefully received some funding from Colyer-Fergusson to support some of our children that need a 1-1 in our Easter and Summer Camps but we can't apply for more of this funding this year. We can apply to HAF for part of the cost of a 1-1 if a child has an EHCP, but there is a 3 year wait to get an additional needs diagnosis in Thanet right now, which another year to get an EHCP. This isn't much help if we need a 1-1 now, not in 4 years time.

We have been running for 2 years and this summer we took 43 extra children than we had allocated spaces for that we haven't had any funding for. These were from Social Services referrals, families in crisis that needed us to feed their children, Ukrainian Families and cared for children that don't qualify for the funding. The families needed help and I let the children in and sent Val back to the shops to buy more potatoes or pasta. I know this Christmas is going to be even worse and I want to be able to let in the children who need us most than might not have the right paperwork to qualify for a HAF space.

So what do I need to make this work?

I need some extra money so I can feed the extra children that don't qualify for funding. I also want to make this Christmas Camp memorable and special for the children who aren't going to get that big Christmas dinner at home this year. I'd love to have enough money we could invite the parents in for christmas dinner with us. I'd like to take the children out, they have always wanted a Team Tasha T-shirt and we've never had enough money to buy 160 printed T-shirts and I'd love Santa to be able to give our children a present.

We have received books from Thanet Library, Fruit from Thanet Earth, Easter Eggs from a secret bunny, Teddies from AO, lovely craft and art donations and it all helps. We will use, donate and craft anything we are given. So, if you are reading this and think of anything you could donate or know someone who could help please please share this.

This year if you can't afford to give money we need Jam Jars with lids, glitter and christmas decorations to go in them to make snow globes. Equally if you have any small Kinder Egg toys or small plastic Hatchimal type toys some children might like them in a snow globe.

I understand how tight money is for everyone. If you have £10 you can spare it would mean the world to one of our children. Equally if you have a job, could you go and ask your bosses if they make any donations at Christmas and ask if we could be considered. If you can't afford to donate money, please just share our post on your facebook page or send it to anyone you can think of that might be able to help.

We can add logos to flyers or t-shirts, we can hand out any publicity to our parents. We can also share on our email and social media.

Please contact Tasha on 07535 918756 tasha@teamtashafitness.co.uk