Biggest ever Yo! offer includes 2,000+ hours of free leisure activities

Wolverhampton's biggest ever Yo! Wolves summer programme has been officially launched – promising something for everyone.

There is a wide range of events and activities for children and young people to choose from throughout the summer holidays, including, for the first time, more than 2,000 hours of free activities at the city's WV Active leisure centres.

For more details, and to book places, please visit www.yowolves.co.uk. Activities are being added all the time, so please check back regularly.

As usual, the Yo! Wolves summer programme includes a wide range of free activities – including free food – for eligible children and young people with a Holiday Activities Fund (HAF) code, co-funded by the Department for Education, along with a comprehensive selection of free and paid for activities open to everyone. They include sports, arts and crafts, dance and drama workshops and fun days.

And, new for 2023, more than 2,000 hours of free activities are being offered at the city's three WV Active leisure centres, including free swimming, swimming lessons, SEND swimming sessions, racket sports and a youth gym at WV Active Bilston Bert-Williams, and racket sports, a youth gym, Bikeability, athletics and tennis at WV Active-Aldersley.

Free swimming, swimming lessons and family fun swimming sessions are on offer at WV Active Central, while free swimming is also available at Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre, Bentley Bridge.

Councillor Chris Burden, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: "We are proud to be launching our biggest ever Yo! Wolves offer which is sure to help make it a summer to remember for our children and young people.

"We are delighted to have been able to enhance the ever-popular selection of HAF, free and paid-for activities with over 2,000 hours of free activities in our leisure centres. Even better, the free swimming isn’t just for the summer holidays – it is available to all children and young people who live in Wolverhampton until the day they turn 16.”

He added: "The Yo! Wolves programme was launched by our friend and colleague, Councillor Ian Brookfield, who we sadly lost earlier this month. He was a great champion for our city's children and young people and this summer's biggest ever offer is a fitting legacy to his drive and determination.

"Places are offered on a first come, first served basis and demand is sure to be high, so please make sure you book your activities as soon as possible."

Yo! Wolves activities are available for children and young people up to the age of 18, or 25 for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and care leavers. Free activities are available to Wolverhampton residents only, while free swimming is available to Wolverhampton residents up to and including the age of 15.

For details of HAF eligibility, please visit www.yowolves.co.uk/accessing-free-school-holiday-activities-food-during-school-breaks.