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
- 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
- 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.
- A Healthy Eating on a Budget masterclass on Wednesday 30 July , 6pm-7pm online by Beezee. This is free to join - Sign up now for free if you’re a parent or carer of any age child in Hertfordshire! FREE Feeding the family on a budget masterclass - Free Healthy Lifestyle Services | Hertfordshire
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Hertfordshire MIND Network: See below information on MIND’S Summer Holiday Wellbeing initiatives for children and young people. Our Transition Y6-Y7 workshop at the Herts Haven Cafe (in person) and our Road to Year 7 group (online) provide some very useful support, advice and strategies for our Year 6 students about to embark on their journey into secondary school - please do share this information with those you feel could benefit. Any questions please contact: Ceri.Roderick-Roast@hertsmindnetwork.org
Both visuals contain information explaining how to register interest or book onto the offers:
- You're Invited! Waltham Cross Young People’s Centre – Open Afternoon
We are delighted to invite you to an Open Afternoon at the newly refurbished Waltham Cross Young People’s Centre.
Thanks to the support of the DCMS Youth Investment Fund we have refurbished our centre into a vibrant, welcoming space for young people in our community. The refurbishment, completed in December 2024, has been coproduced with young people and their energy and enthusiasm has been invaluable throughout the project. Young people not only helped design and oversee the refurbishment but also got hands-on experience in bricklaying, painting, and tiling working alongside our main contractors, Mulalley.
Join us to Celebrate the Completion of the Refurbishment:
- Welcome refreshments and viewing of presentations/displays
- Opening presentations from:
- County Cllr Mark Watkins, Executive member for Education, SEND and Inclusion
- Havanna Marshall Chair Broxbourne Youth Council and Broxbourne Youth Mayor
- Nathan Gould Broxbourne SEND Youth Council
- Tour the refurbished centre
- Meet the young people and Services for Young People staff
- Hear about the exciting projects and opportunities now available
Date: Friday 18th July
Time: 15:30
Location: Waltham Cross Young People’s Centre, Stanhope Road, EN8 7DJ
We look forward to welcoming you and sharing the incredible journey and achievements of the young people within our community.
RSVP to Paul.Ross@hertfordshire.gov.uk by Friday 11th July 2025
St Albans & Dacorum
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E-Safety Session: The Intensive Family Support Team for St Albans and Dacorum are hosting an E-safety session for parents covering the basics of internet, digital communication & social media safety, in collaboration with Herts Police: - Location: Greenhills Day Service, Tenzing Road, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 4HS. 6.00 to7:30pm. To register or if you would like a specific area please email kingsley.davis@hertfordshire.gov.uk
- Mens Group Drop In - In Person:
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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 (email: Kingsley.Davis@hertfordshire.gov.uk)
- 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
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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Big Summer 2025
Big Summer is 3 weeks of free/low cost activites taking place on 28 July- 17 August in Welwyn Hatfield
We are encouraging all partners to submit their activities and offerings for the events calendar. To register your activities, please visit BIG Summer – One Welwyn Hatfield
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Hatfield Community Fair 2025
As part of Big Summer campaign, a community outreach event to connect with the local community. The event will include local charities/organisation stalls and lots of free activities for children including a climbing wall, pop up BMX track, facepainting and much more.
Tuesday 12th August, 11-3 at White Lion Square, Hatfield.
To sign up to have a stall: Register an activity or community space | Activity registration – Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council
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Herts Summer Parks
Herts Summer Parks 2025 – a dynamic, festival style programme of FREE park activities for young people aged 12–16 across Hertfordshire this August.
Mondays (4th, 11th, 18th August)
King George Playing Fields, Beehive Lane, AL7 4BP
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GALLERIA PROUD TO SUPPORT DRIVING AID TO UKRAINE
The Galleria, Hatfield is honoured to be partnering with Driving Aid to Ukraine, a not-for-profit organisation that helps deliver UK aid directly to Ukraine's borders.
Established charities often find it challenging to deliver and operate within conflict zones, so the organisation helps fill that gap, and The Galleria is proudly supplying storage for the donations they have received.
44 pallets are currently being stored at The Galleria. These predominantly contain children's clothing which will be distributed to orphanages, IDP individual families, children's hospitals, and care centres.
There is also 5 tons of disinfectant which will be distributed to hospitals, rehab units and IDP centres, with further medical equipment on its way.
13 million Ukrainians (30% of the population) are displaced; many have lost everything, including loved ones. There is an increase in single-parent families and orphans, so raising funds to pay for fuel to transport aid is a priority.
There are number of ways that support can be provided to Driving Aid to Ukraine. To donate to directly cover transport costs please visit https://drivingaidtoukraine.org/donate-now.
The organisation is also currently requiring volunteers with experience in gaining corporate donations, grant writing and general fundraising. If interested, please contact Michael at m.p.byrne1@icloud.com.
Anthony Greener, Retail Manager at The Galleria said “We are delighted that we are able to support Driving Aid to Ukraine by providing them with the storage they require. The work they are doing to coordinate donations being delivered to Ukraine is invaluable.”
For more information about the organisation and how you can help, please visit https://drivingaidtoukraine.org/
- ‘HERTS LOVES’ PRELOVED POP-UP SUMMER DATES AT THE GALLERIA The Galleria, Hatfield, is excited to announce the Summer opening dates for children’s preloved clothing pop-up Herts loves.
Herts loves will be trading at the scheme every Tuesday and Thursday 10am-2pm, throughout June until the end of August. To view the full list of dates visit https://thegalleria.co.uk/herts-loves-pre-loved-clothing-pop-up/
Herts loves offer invaluable support to families. They sell preloved items to support families as they navigate the journey of parenthood. Products include ‘starter’ kits for new parents, giving them all the items they need as they welcome their little bundle into the World, plus clothes, bedding and toys that have been donated and are looking for a new home in which they can be loved once again.
Herts loves is well-established within the local community, having run similar pop-ups locally in the past year alone. The partnership with The Galleria further supports the local community and giving back to families that may still be feeling the pinch of the cost-of-living crisis, as well as those who want to support such a fantastic initiative and give a new lease of life to preloved items once again, with all funds raised going back into the organisation to be used towards their future endeavours.
For more information about the pop-up visit https://thegalleria.co.uk/
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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
- The Intensive Family Support Team in Watford and Three Rivers Team are having a Community Summer Fun Day alongside local services in the South Oxhey playing fields. This will be held on Wednesday 6th of August at 12pm to 3pm. We are asking parents/carers to bring a picnic. Play ranges will be putting on some activities and we have invited SFYP, Library, Family Centre, some local charities and SEND services. Download the Poster here
- 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.
- 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
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The Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service runs many community and youth engagement activities, one of which is an 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 Watford Cadet Unit, which is based at our Watford Fire Station, WD17 2AG and at our Royston Cadet unit based at Royston Fire Station, SG8 5BD. Both units run on a Wednesday evening from 6.30pm – 8.30pm, term time only.
There is an online application form on our service webpage which interested parents or children can complete Children and young people | Hertfordshire County Council
If you have any enquiries about the Cadet Programme or any of the youth engagement activities, please do not hesitate to contact HFRS.youth@hertfordshire.gov.uk