Children in Monmouthshire have enjoyed a fun-filled summer holiday, thanks to two successful play provision schemes offered by MonLife, the council’s tourism, leisure, culture and youth services body.

The Welsh Government-funded School Holiday Enrichment Programme (SHEP) has provided healthy meals, nutrition and food education, physical activity and enrichment sessions to children in specific areas of the county during the summer holidays.

The free four-week programme has seen over 420 children sign up at five schools, with sessions at Overmonnow Primary and Kymin View Primary in Monmouth, Thornwell School in Chepstow, Caldicot’s Dewstow Primary and Deri View Primary in Abergavenny.  The response to the scheme was overwhelmingly positive with a large majority of children delighted to make new friends and try new sports.

Meanwhile, MonLife has offered the exciting and popular Monmouthshire Games, with a range of different interests and hobbies keeping children and young people active and entertained over the summer holidays. The five-week programme featured at all of the county’s leisure centres in Abergavenny, Caldicot, Chepstow and Monmouth, with almost 900 youngsters participating.  Nearly all expressed their desire to attend future events.

This is the sixth year that MonLife has organised the Games. Aimed at children between the ages of 5 and 11, they have encouraged thousands to develop confidence, meet new friends and most importantly have fun through sport.    With challenges caused by the pandemic, this year’s events also aimed to help improve wellbeing and promote healthy bodies and minds.

Monmouthshire’s Cabinet member for Community Wellbeing and Social Justice, Councillor Lisa Dymock said: “The School Holiday Enrichment Programme and The Monmouthshire Games have been especially valuable during the pandemic, allowing the county’s children to be active, have fun and socialise.  They have been brilliantly organised by MonLife staff and give parents the peace of mind that their children are looked after in a fun and safe environment.” The Monmouthshire Games and SHEP attracted a total of 7,750 attendances over the summer while children enjoyed 7,240 free meals provided in line with the wide range of benefits delivered by SHEP.