Families are invited to an afternoon filled with fun activities to celebrate the launch of exciting new services at Portsmouth’s Family Hubs.
On Wednesday 26 July, celebrations are taking place from 12.30 to 3.30pm at Paulsgrove Family Hub (Cheltenham Road, PO6 3PL) and Somerstown Family Hub (Omega Street, PO5 4LP).
Activities at both sites (unless otherwise stated) include:
- Mobile petting zoo (Paulsgrove)
- Arts and crafts
- Storytelling
- Facepainting and/or temporary tattoos
- A treasure hunt
- An additional activity at Somerstown, to be confirmed soon
A free book pack will also be given out to younger children.
Families are invited to bring their own picnics to enjoy in the garden, and light refreshments will also be available.
The events are to officially launch the range of new services, groups and activities available to all Portsmouth families who visit any of the city’s five Family Hubs. This includes new stay-and-play sessions for under-5s, wider health services such as midwifery, health visiting and mental health support, help for new and expectant parents to develop their practical parenting skills, and support with common concerns like feeding, sleeping and crying.
Families can also visit a hub for advice on managing finances, housing, relationships, and help to access specialist support if they need it. A new Virtual Family Hub offering online parenting support will also be available soon.
Portsmouth’s Family Hubs are jointly delivered by Portsmouth City Council and Solent NHS Trust. Funding for the new services comes from the government’s £300 million investment to improve access to support, advice and support for families through Family Hubs nationally.
Cllr Suzy Horton, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council, said: “We are committed to supporting families so that Portsmouth children get a great start in life and are able to thrive. There are times when every parent and carer needs some kind of support, and our Family Hubs are now even better equipped to provide all families with a friendly place to visit and get the help and advice they need.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting families at the launch event, where lots of fun activities are taking place and people can meet others and learn about the exciting new services available.”
All welcome, we look forward to sharing our new range of services with you.