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
Quick link to:-
Broxbourne & East Herts
St Albans & Dacorum
North Herts & Stevenage
Welwyn Hatfield
Watford, Three Rivers & Hertsmere
Broxbourne & East Herts
Girl Corner is a free girls-only programme for young people aged 14–17 providing a safe, supportive and engaging space where participants can shape the activities and sessions based on their interests.
Every Wednesday 6-8pm, Active Local Hub in Waltham Cross.
Please also find the referral/sign-up link below: Your Voice, Your Choice – Girls Corner Sign up Form
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New Learn to Ride courses are coming to three Hertfordshire locations this summer to help children learn to cycle safely and confidently on two wheels. Find out more on Hertford Cycle Hub's Eventbrite - July/Aug https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/hertford-cycle-hub-30802887362
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Hoddesdon Library: Face To Face Courses – Step2Skills Details of upcoming face‑to‑face courses taking place at Hoddesdon Library. Content writing for profit 21st May – 5 weeks – 9.30am 12pm. How to publish a book 21st May – 5 weeks 1.30pm-4pm. Digital photography 25th June – 1.30pm-4pm. Should you need any additional details, please feel free to contact Charlotte Adams, Step2Skills charlotte.adams@hertfordshire.gov.uk
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Herts Sports and Physical Activity Partnership
We’re really excited to be preparing for a fantastic summer at Waltham Cross Playing Fields, with a range of vibrant, community-focused events for children and young people. We’d love for you to be part of it—whether that’s showcasing what you do, connecting with local families, or delivering fun taster sessions that inspire young people to get involved. These events attract hundreds of attendees and are a great opportunity to grow awareness of your groups, clubs, and activities while helping us create an active, inclusive community. Please find more details below:
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Herts Summer Parks
Tuesday 4, 11, 18 August, 3pm – 6pm
A free, festival-style programme for young people aged 12–16, featuring sports, arts and crafts, inflatables, adrenaline activities, music workshops, and much, much more. Each young person also receives a voucher for a nutritious meal from local food providers.
Junior Park Run - download the leaflet
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Waltham Cross Sports Festival
Saturday 15 August, 12pm – 4pm
A free annual community celebration for families, promoting physical activity and showcasing local opportunities. The day includes sessions, competitions, demonstrations, tournaments, and plenty of fun children’s activities such as bouncy castles and face painting.
If you’re interested in getting involved in any of these events, we’d love to hear from you. Your involvement will play a key role in helping more children and young people get active, try something new, and feel part of their local community. Please contact Matthew Ridley m.ridley2@herts.ac.uk at your earliest convenience.
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Communities First - Learning events
Please see below details of our upcoming courses in Hoddesdon and Hertford, Please note our courses are open to all aged 19+ and resident of Hertfordshire.
Further information and other courses can be found on our website, https://www.communities1st.org.uk/communitylearning
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You can download the poster for the opening time of the Wasimi breakfast club in Waltham Cross during the summer holidays (attached)
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The Windrush Legacies CIC have Multi-Sports Activity sessions taking place during the summer for children and young people with SEND. Download the leaflet here.
St Albans & Dacorum
The Mr Programme has once again started for dads and male carers! It started on 1st July 2026 at 7pm till 9pm at Greenhills site, Tenzing Road, Hemel Hempstead. HP2 4HS and will run weekly for 8 weeks.
This programme is for males aged 18 or over who are role models to children so dad’s, uncles, brothers, neighbours and friends.
We will be covering a range of topics such as:
- Men’s mental health
- SEND in children
- Children’s mental health
- Separation and conflict
- Women’s hygiene and support males can offer
- Supporting babies and newborns – shaken baby syndrome , tools to cope and manage with challenges
- Signposting to external services for support
You can download the leaflet here and you can register here:- MRProgramme Referral
If you have any questions regards this programme please contact:- henry.lee-brenchley@hertfordshire.gov.uk
North Herts & Stevenage
Support for Male Survivors of Domestic Abuse:
Future Living Hertford has a dedicated programme of support for male survivors of Domestic Abuse. Attached is the flyer for Wise Guys, which will be delivered at the Sadie Centre in Letchworth on Mondays at 1pm, starting from 7th September. Contact info@futurelivinghertford.co.uk or call 01992 537344 for more information.
Welwyn Hatfield
Big Summer is back! ☀️
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s Big Summer campaign returns this summer with three weeks of free and low-cost activities for children, young people and families across the borough.
We’d really appreciate your support in helping us spread the word — please start sharing the campaign across your networks, members, service users and social channels.
We are also still welcoming activity submissions from partners who would like to be included in the programme. If your organisation is delivering activities, sessions or events for children and young people over the summer holidays, we’d love to hear from you. Find out more and submit activities here: ☀️ Big Summer 2026
Don't miss our three flagship Activity Days, packed with sports, crafts, entertainment, games and much more!
📍 Wednesday 29 July
Stonehills, Welwyn Garden City
🕚 11:00am – 3:00pm
📍 Wednesday 5 August
King George V Playing Fields, Welwyn Garden City
🕚 11:00am – 3:00pm
📍 Wednesday 12 August
White Lion Square, Hatfield
🕚 11:00am – 3:00pm
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Upcoming Summer Children's Reading Group- Hatfield Library
Please see details of our next upcoming session for our children’s reading group, before the summer properly begins and school finishes in July- and we then head into the annual big Summer Reading Challenge (details to follow later).
Places are limited for these very popular, and enjoyable sessions. Please enquire in the library.
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Build a Butterfly House- Hatfield Library: Please find a link to poster for a lovely free upcoming children’s family event to help kick off the summer holidays with our partners at WHBC. 🦋
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Hatfield Community Fair 2026! This community event is a great opportunity to meet and connect with a wide range of local organisations, charities, and community groups offering support services. Plus, there will be lots of free activities for children to enjoy!
Taking place on Tuesday 28th July 2026, 11-3 at White Lion Square, Hatfield
To sign up your organisation please follow the link below:
Register an activity | Activity registration – Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council
Watford, Three Rivers Hertsmere
Herts Summer Parks
A free, festival-style programme for young people aged 12–16, featuring sports, arts and crafts, inflatables, adrenaline activities, music workshops, and much, much more. Each young person also receives a voucher for a nutritious meal from local food providers. Download the leaflet.
When: Thursday 6th August, 13th August, 20th August, 3-6pm
Where: King George V Playing Fields, Sish Lane, SG1 3LS
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Up and coming tasters with Louisa:
Weds 8th July (booking closes Mon 6th July): Motivation and Time Management - Taster | Hertfordshire County Council
Up and coming courses with Joy or Louisa:
Introduction to Working in Schools with Joy Tues 2 June 9.15am (booking closes Tues 29th May): Introduction to working in schools | Hertfordshire County Council
Boost Your Confidence with Louisa Weds 3 June 9.30am (booking closes Mon 1st June): Boost Your Confidence | Hertfordshire County Council
Should you need any additional details, please feel free to contact charlotte.adams@hertfprdshire.gov.uk
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Free personalised meal plans for Hertfordshire families – usually £86per year – now FREE (until April 2027)!
Fed up of deciding what to eat every night?
Want to save money on food shopping and eat better?
Hertfordshire County Council and the local district and borough councils are working with TV chef Theo Michaels, to help local families eat healthier, reduce food costs and make life around dinnertimes a lot easier! This is exclusively for families living, being educated or working in Hertfordshire
Join the FiveDinners website and every week you’ll get a fully personalised meal plan with a complete shopping list so you know exactly what you’ve got for dinner without having to think about it!
To claim your free membership today simply visit your exclusive link: https://FiveDinners.com/MyCommunity and scroll down to Hertfordshire. Either enter your postcode or schools.
This is 100% free, no payment details are taken– join over 37,000 other families enjoying FiveDinners.
Visit: FiveDinners.com/MyCommunity
Find out more about Step2Skills courses taking place at Hertfordshire libraries across the county.