Manchester United Foundation provided support to almost 800 young people during the Easter holidays through a wide range of activities taking place outside of school term time.

The Foundation delivers education and community outreach programmes throughout the season, engaging young people from partner schools and at community sessions across Greater Manchester.

As these sessions come to a halt outside of term time, the Foundation delivers alternative projects in the school holidays, to continue positively impacting its young people.

As part of our half-term delivery, 10 holiday clubs ran over the two-week period, including three Holiday Activities and Food [HAF] programmes that provide local children with free lunches and physical activity sessions, as well as additional clubs for pupils at seven of our partner high schools.

In the absence of Street Reds sessions, our community engagement participants were brought together for three football tournaments and other recreational activities, including a trip to the cinema followed by employability workshops.

Wes Brown was present at one of the football tournaments, hosted by the Foundation on behalf of the Premier League, in a regional competition where eight other North West clubs’ affiliated community organisations were also participating. Our girls football tournament saw an incredible 222 young people involved.

“It is of vital importance that the Foundation continues to provide a service for local young people outside of term time,” said Director of Operations, Matt Johnson.

“We work in some of the most socially deprived areas of the country, engaging with over 20,000 young people each year. Our usual delivery may be on hold, but for the young people who rely on our services so much, we continue to offer a lifeline, year-round.

“Encouraging young people to be active at our holiday clubs with the provision of a free lunch provides obvious health benefits, with our three HAF programmes engaging 122 young people. But the diversionary element is also key in enriching our young people with opportunities that they may not otherwise have access to.”

Stretford High School was one of three sites where the HAF programme was delivered.

One participant at Stretford, nine-year-old Sienna, said: “We’ve been doing football, basketball and cricket, and I like the food – I’ve enjoyed all of it.

“I have made friends, which has been good, and we all like playing football. You have someone to play with, which makes me happy because I don’t have any siblings.”

Fellow Stretford participant Firas, 10, was similarly enthused. He added: “It’s been the best week of my life. I like doing stuff with the United coaches and I especially like playing football with them as well.”

More than 150 girls, in partnership with the South Manchester Girls Football League, took part in a goalkeeper workshop with coaches from the Foundation, the Regional Talent Club and Manchester United Women.

Various goalkeeping drills helped girls to hone their skills. Emerging Talent Centre [ETC] participants have also continued to engage with the Foundation during half-term.

The Emerging Talent Centre provides girls with the opportunity to train with Foundation coaches once a week, under the banner of Manchester United, with scope to progress to our elite girls’ football provision.

An ETC football festival saw more than 150 girls in attendance to continue developing their skills with Foundation coaches during the half-term break.

“Alongside ensuring that our young people have access to opportunities in the local community, we have also continued encouraging our female participants to pursue excellence through half-term football initiatives,” Matt added.

“More than 400 girls have engaged in these football-specific activities alone, with the inspiration provided by Manchester United Women during a fantastic season so far undoubtedly a factor in how the girls have become so enthused by our activities.”