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The Food and Fun scheme, held during the school summer holidays, provides free healthy meals and activities to children, helping them stay healthy and active during the break. Activities included five-a-side football, arts and crafts, nutrition lessons, table tennis, tag archery, and much more, delivered with support from the council’s NPT PASS (Physical Activity & Sports Service) and local partners such as Hockey Wales and NHS Dietetics.

At the awards ceremony, the service received outstanding recognition, winning three categories, securing two runner-up positions, and earning two highly commended awards:

• Council Coordinator Award – Winner, Paul Williams
• Scheme Staff Award – Winner, Luke Cross
• School Impacts Award – Winner, Gemma Ness Ysgol Awel Y mor
• Children’s Choice – Runner Up, Rhosafan Primary
• Health Board award – Highly Commended, Swansea Bay UHB Dietetics & NPT Youth Service
• Scheme Coordinator Award – Highly Commended Leighanne Palmer & Vicky Jenkins, Eastern Primary School
• Scheme Staff Award – Runner Up Emma Jones, Abbey Primary

This year marked Neath Port Talbot’s largest scheme to date, with 22 schools, both primary and secondary, taking part and around 1,800 young people attending.

Councillor Nia Jenkins, Cabinet Member for Education & Early Years, said: “Congratulations to all our award winners and the dedicated staff who worked tirelessly to make this year’s Food and Fun scheme such a success.

“This programme is a fantastic way to make the most of school facilities during the holidays, giving children something fun and engaging to do while ensuring they receive healthy meals.

“As a council, we are committed to ensuring all children get the best start in life, and this scheme is just one way we are striving to achieve that.”

The programme was delivered by the Council’s Youth Service in partnership with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and funded by Welsh Government.