Preston Grasshoppers Community Foundation Celebrates Successful First Summer of Holiday Camps

Across the summer, the Foundation recorded an incredible 768 camp places, including 320 paid places and 448 places accessed through the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.

Alongside this, 15 places were generously sponsored by Wooden Spoon, helping even more children access the Foundation’s summer activities.

The summer programme gave children the opportunity to stay active, make friends, develop new skills and enjoy sport in a fun and welcoming environment throughout the school holidays.

The Foundation also ran its Elite Player Development Camps, giving young rugby players the opportunity to take their game further through focused coaching and development. The camps included position-specific training, strength and conditioning blocks, and high-quality rugby sessions designed to help players understand and develop the fundamentals of the game.

Importantly, the camps are already beginning to create pathways into longer-term opportunities.

After attending through a HAF-funded place this summer, one participant has now accepted a place on the Foundation’s Player Pathway Programme and will begin the next stage of her rugby development when the new season gets underway.

It is exactly the kind of progression the Foundation hopes to create, using holiday programmes not only to provide enjoyable experiences during the school break, but also to introduce children and young people to opportunities that can continue long after camp has finished.

A Special Thank You to Wooden Spoon

The Foundation would like to extend a huge thank you to Wooden Spoon for its generous support throughout the Foundation’s first summer.

By sponsoring 15 camp places, Wooden Spoon helped provide opportunities for children who may not otherwise have been able to attend, giving them the chance to enjoy the activities, friendships and experiences that come with being part of the Foundation’s holiday camps.

The Foundation would also like to thank every parent and carer who booked their children onto the camps and supported the programme throughout its first summer.

A special thank you also goes to the coaches, management team and volunteers who worked hard to make every camp fun, energetic and varied.

Jake Squirrell, Head of Preston Grasshoppers Community Foundation, Said:

“We’re incredibly pleased with how our first summer of holiday camps has gone. To see so many children coming through the doors, whether through paid bookings, HAF provision or the places generously supported by Wooden Spoon, has been fantastic.

“A huge thank you has to go to all of the families who chose to spend part of their summer with us, to Wooden Spoon for their continued support and, of course, to our brilliant coaches, staff and volunteers who have worked so hard throughout the holidays.

“One of the things we’re particularly proud of is seeing the opportunities created beyond the camps themselves. Having one of our HAF participants accept a place on our Player Pathway Programme is exactly the kind of progression we want to encourage.

“We hope this is the first of many stories like this as the Foundation continues to grow.”

Summer may be over, but the Foundation is already preparing for its October Half Term Camps.

Following such a successful first summer, the team is looking forward to welcoming both familiar and new faces back to Preston Grasshoppers for another action-packed half-term programme.

October Half Term bookings are now open.

Monday October 26, 2026 - Wednesday October 28, 2026

Book your place using the link below:https://www.clubs-hub.com/hoppersfoundation/index.cfm?event=event&eventId=121289