Free family fun events in Portsmouth to launch new services at new city hubs

On Wednesday July 26, celebrations are taking place from 12.30pm to 3.30pm at Paulsgrove Family Hub in Cheltenham Road and the Somerstown Family Hub in Omega Street where they can take part in a number of activities including arts and crafts, storytelling, facepainting and a treasure hunt. There will also be a mobile petting zoo at the Paulgrove event and 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.

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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, and we look forward to sharing our new range of services with you.