Local News
Updates from the local districts
Please use this page to promote any local events or webinars. Please send an email with the subject: FF News - Local News page with a link to your event and short description to familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Broxbourne & East Herts
- Broxbourne Volunteers Fair - Thursday 5th June - Laura Trott Leisure Centre - 12.30pm-2pm
This is being co-ordinated by Communities 1st in conjunction with Broxbourne Council, Broxbourne Alliance PCN and Carers in Hertfordshire. The purpose of the event is for local organisations to showcase their services and recruit additional volunteers see poster here. Organisations can book a stall via the following link: https://www.communities1st.org.uk/volunteer-fair - it is free to attend. Members of the Public do not need to register to attend. Please do publicise this poster for individuals on your noticeboards, newsletters, social media channels, with colleagues etc. Previous events have been a great success and we look forward to seeing you there.
- Free Family Course for Mums, Dads and Carers of children aged 5-19yrs in Broxbourne
Are you looking for strategies and new ideas to help improve family life? This 9-week fully-funded term-time course can help you to:
- Understand how Feelings, Thoughts and Behaviour link together
- Understand what may be influencing your child’s behaviour
- Respond to a range of feelings e.g. stress, anger, anxiety and worries
- Improve communication to build better relationships
- Build on your own and your child’s strengths
- Learn strategies to help you and your family feel safe
Places are fully funded. To book your space, please call: 01992 303331, Option 5
Dates: Wednesday mornings, 30th April 2025 - 2nd July 2025 (excluding half term)
Time: 09.30am - 11.30am
Location: At Wormley School Community Room, Broxbourne, EN10 6QA
🎤 HABS BRINGS BACK THE 80s & 90s 🎧
Get ready to dust off those leg warmers, tease that hair, and grab your glow sticks — we’re turning back the clock for a night of pure retro fun.
🗓 Saturday, 12th July, ⏰ 7:30 PM – 11:30 PM, Robert Barclay Academy
🎟 Tickets: £15
Expect iconic tunes, classic dance moves, and a night full of neon nostalgia — all while supporting a great cause.
To book tickets, please email:
📩 events@habscharity.org.uk
- Community Alliance Summer Conference - Together for Tomorrow - Join us for our annual Summer Conference - 'Together for Tomorrow' on Friday, 27th June 2025, from 12 noon to 3pm at the Nigel Copping Community Building in Stanstead Abbotts.
Discover new opportunities for the voluntary sector to stay ahead of change. Explore modern methods to improve your fundraising and listen intently to how our core CVS offer can support you!
Grow your network and be part of the conversation on how we can grow and thrive together. Reserve your spot today! Email isobel@communityalliancebeh.org.uk to book your place. More details to follow!
Friday 27th June 2025
12pm to 3pm
Nigel Copping Community Building, Stanstead Abbotts, SG12 8GA
- Inclusive Job Fair - Step2Skills is holding an inclusive job fair in Bishop's Stortford aimed at adults (19+) with learning and physical disabilities, neurodiversity & mental health conditions on Thurs 15 May 10am-3pm, South Mill Arts, Bishop's Stortford. Book tickets for the event here.
- Family Centre Service are running Parent Cafes, where local families can meet the team and other local families and find out about workshops, play activities and get information, advice and guidance. Sessions are at Rosedale Community Centre, Waltham Cross 13:00 - 14:30 on 16/6/2025 and Seth Ward Community Centre, Buntingford 13:30-15:00 on 8/7/25
- Mens group: "Mens Collective" A talking group for men focusing on communication with families and at work but also a safe space for men to talk freely and be heard. 6.30-8pm 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at the Community Alliance Building, Fore Street, Hertford. Download the poster
Broxbourne Council has produced a simple Cost of Living guide for residents - Download the latest Cost of Living Directory
- Lots of really useful links for information on support for the cost of living is available on the Citizens Advice East Herts website https://citizensadviceeastherts.org.uk/ from Energy saving tips, Cost of Living payments, and Fuel bills. Also download the Citizens Advice leaflet which gives times/dates of their drop-in
- Services for Young People (SfYP) youth work projects enable young people to develop their personal and social skills and increase their confidence, self-esteem and resilience. Get details of SfYP projects and information, advice and support services in your area here:
SfYP East Herts Team projects
SfYP Broxbourne Team projects
- Healthy Hub East Herts are running drop-in sessions across the district for residents to pop in for FREE help and advice about anything they would like support with. A full list of dates and venues is on our website.
- The ParkPlay in Cedars Park, Cheshunt on Saturday morning offers a fantastic opportunity for families to engage in two hours of free community play, while remaining active and spending quality time with their loved ones. Additionally, it provides an excellent opportunity to connect with the local community
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ParkPlay is coming to Bishops Stortford! Parkplay is two hours of multi-sports for the whole family led by our Playleaders and volunteers, keeping our kids moving every Saturday morning from 10am-12pm. The best part is that it is completely FREE!
ParkPlay are currently looking for some volunteers to help us launch this great community initiative and get Bishops Stortford's children moving at our Thorley Gap parkplay. Together with Jordan, our playleader and youth worker with Thirst Cafe, you can be part of this amazing community focused event. Volunteering can be anything from signing in Parkplayers to helping our playleader set up the games. Volunteers do not need any experience in sport or physical activity and will receive free training, support and free access to the Parkplay app.
If you would like to help get our kids moving and bring your community together through the power of play please get in contact with Adam Nnochiri at adam.nnochiri@aitc.org.uk for more information on volunteering.
- Caudwell Youth Referrals : Caudwell Youth mentors at-risk young people aged 11-24 years into new futures. They have openings for referrals in East Herts areas. Parents and young people, as well as professionals can refer/self-refer if required.
Caudwell Youth - Please complete the online form. Application Form - Caudwell Youth
- Please remember to create a unique username for each young person you refer
- Add the young person's details not your own (it will feel like it’s asking for yours)
- Add as much risk information as possible
- Please complete all relevant questions
Each new referral will be triaged and placed on a short waiting list, before being assigned to a member of the team, if we require more information, the Area manager will contact you before we accept the referral.
If you have any questions, please get in touch.
- Waltham Cross - Sporting Aid
- Girls Kicks — Free youth football sessions for girls. Starting Saturday 26 April at Waltham Cross Playing Fields
- Youth Boxing — Free boxing and fitness camp for young people. Starting Saturday 26 April at Waltham Cross Playing Fields
- Youth Basketball — Free basketball camp for young people. Starting Saturday 26 April at Waltham Cross Playing Fields
- Active Travel Day — A free event offering cycle training, bike maintenance, guided rides and walks, the chance to try and buy e-bikes, plus police tagging for your bike. Saturday 10 May, 11am – 3pm at Waltham Cross Playing Fields. Led walking group opportunity also included as part of the day.
- Live Longer Better Celebration Day — A free event for older adults with activities including Tai Chi, Seated Cricket, Yoga, Stretch & Relax, and Guided Walks. There’ll also be a local marketplace and free refreshments! Thursday 22 May, 9:30am – 1pm at Lee Valley White Water Centre
- Event link
St Albans & Dacorum
- Mens Group Drop In - In Person:
Our Intensive Family Support Team (IFST) for Dacorum and St. Albans are facilitating a group for dads and male carers. This men’s group is a space for male role models in children’s lives to come together and have a positive outlet for concerns and to share their thoughts with other men.
It will run on the first Monday of each month from 6.00 – 7.30pm at the IFST office, Dacorum & St. Albans, Greenhill Site, Tenzing Road, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4HS
- This group is a drop in and is not a course that way anyone can pop in on a monthly basis
- We are tapping into staff resources and will have a topic to discuss every month including support with challenging behaviour, Internet safety, parenting challenges and the Parenting when Separated Programme, domestic abuse from a male perspective including male and female perpetrators and understanding the LGBTQ+ community
- This is a safe space for men to come together in a positive and supportive way
Dates for 2025
May 12, June 6, July 7, September 1, October 6, November 3, December 1
- Mens group: "The Mr Programme" starts 4 June 2025, 6.30pm-8pm, (every Wednesday until 16 July). An online group exploring what a positive male role model looks like for children in today’s modern. Open to all dads/male carers. Book your place here:- MRProgramme Referral
- You can read the latest DSPL8 newsletter here
- Services for Young People (SfYP) youth work projects enable young people to develop their personal and social skills and increase their confidence, self-esteem and resilience. Get details of SfYP projects and information, advice and support services in your area here:
SfYP St Albans Team projects
SfYP Dacorum Team projects
North Herts & Stevenage
- Family Centre Service are running Parent Cafes, where local families can meet the team and other local families and find out about workshops, play activities and get information, advice and guidance. Sessions for North Herts are at Woolmer Green Village Hall 10:00 - 11:30 on 23/9/2025.
- The ParkPlay in Jackmans Park, Letchworth on Saturday morning offers a fantastic opportunity for families to engage in two hours of free community play, while remaining active and spending quality time with their loved ones. Additionally, it provides an excellent opportunity to connect with the local community
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No More Service is a youth service in Stevenage and North Herts, which offers support to young people aged 11-21 across Hertfordshire to address the impact alcohol, substance misuse and/or offending have on all areas of a client’s life and help them develop practical solutions to address these. Clients have to fulfil at least three of the relevant criteria to be accepted onto the Service, find out more here and download the referral form here.
- Services for Young People (SfYP) youth work projects enable young people to develop their personal and social skills and increase their confidence, self-esteem and resilience. Get details of SfYP projects and information, advice and support services in your area here:
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One of Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue's many community and youth engagement activities is their established Fire Cadet Programme aimed at young people aged 14-17 years and is free of charge to join.
Fire Cadets participate in practical and theoretical fire and rescue service activities, including hose drills, breathing apparatus procedures and fire safety awareness sessions. The scheme teaches young people essential life skills such as self-discipline, confidence and leadership.
We are currently recruiting for the new academic year (September 2025 intake) at our Royston Cadet unit based at the Royston Fire Station, Baldock Streeton, Royston, SG8 5BD, Wednesday evenings from 6.30pm – 8.30pm.
I have attached an information leaflet for any of your students who maybe interested in joining. There is an online application form on our service webpage which interested parents or children can complete Children and young people | Hertfordshire County Council
Welwyn Hatfield
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Services for Young People (SfYP) youth work projects enable young people to develop their personal and social skills and increase their confidence, self-esteem and resilience. Get details of SfYP projects and information, advice and support services in your area here:
- Caudwell Youth Referrals : Caudwell Youth mentors at-risk young people aged 11-24 years into new futures. They have openings for referrals in Welwyn/Hatfield areas. Parents and young people, as well as professionals can refer/self-refer if required.
Caudwell Youth - Please complete the online form. Application Form - Caudwell Youth
- Please remember to create a unique username for each young person you refer
- Add the young person's details not your own (it will feel like it’s asking for yours)
- Add as much risk information as possible
- Please complete all relevant questions
Each new referral will be triaged and placed on a short waiting list, before being assigned to a member of the team, if we require more information, the Area manager will contact you before we accept the referral.
If you have any questions, please get in touch.
Watford, Three Rivers Hertsmere
- Mission Impossible : Our employability training programme is for young people age 18-25 with learning disabilities. We run a Supported Internship programme in Chorleywood and are currently recruiting for September 2025.
Our mission is to provide the training and support that young, learning disabled people need, to gain paid employment and work with employers to help them create an inclusive workplace in which our graduates can thrive. Together with our employment partners & local community, we are changing the lives of those with learning disabilities, one person at a time, creating a more inclusive workforce for all. To date over 90% of our graduates have secured paid employment after completing their years employability training course at Mission EmployAble’s training centre at Cafe on The Common. We are hosting a Webinar on the 23rd April 18.30-19.30 as an information session for parents to find out more about what it is we do.
To join for a free ticket. www.missionemployable.co.uk/events/php
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Find out more about Home-Start in Watford, Three Rivers & Hertsmere -
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Services for Young People (SfYP) youth work projects enable young people to develop their personal and social skills and increase their confidence, self-esteem and resilience. Get details of SfYP projects and information, advice and support services in your area here:
- The ParkPlay in Aycliffe Park, Borehamwood on Saturday morning offers a fantastic opportunity for families to engage in two hours of free community play, while remaining active and spending quality time with their loved ones. Additionally, it provides an excellent opportunity to connect with the local community