The Family Hubs Festival, held on Wednesday 30 October, in Harpur Square and the Harpur Suite, was a fantastic success, attracting around 1,000 attendees for a day of fun, activities, and valuable information for local families.
The event provided an opportunity for families to explore the many services available through the Family Hubs and Children’s Centres in Bedford Borough. Attendees had the chance to learn more about the wide range of sessions offered, including breastfeeding support, Healthy Start vitamins, and the 50 Things To Do initiative, among many other resources aimed at supporting families and young children.
One of the key highlights of the day was the free raffle, with attendees entering for the chance to win a family hamper full of exciting prizes, generously donated by local businesses and organisations. The hamper included:
- An Instax Camera and film, kindly donated by FujiFilm
- £25 Love Bedford vouchers, kindly donated by Love Bedford
- A 30-minute pony experience for two, kindly donated by Keysoe Therapy & Well-Being Centre
- A family swim session at Oasis, Robinson or Kempston Pool, kindly donated by Better
- A family mini-golf session, kindly donated by The Kiosk Russell Park
- A Nivea gift set, kindly donated by Tesco in Riverside Drive.
The raffle draw was conducted by Cllr Jane Walker, Portfolio Holder for Valuing Families: Children’s Services, who announced Haleema Ali as the lucky winner of the hamper.
Cllr Walker said; “It was fantastic to see so many families enjoying the activities, while also learning about the wide range of support services available through our Family Hubs and Children’s Centres. We’re proud to be able to offer such valuable resources to local families, and it’s heartening to see the positive impact these services are having across our community.”
“Our Family Hubs play a vital role in bringing together services, organisations, and community groups to ensure our residents have access to the help and support they need in one convenient place. The Family Hubs Festival was a great way to raise awareness of all these services, and we were thrilled to see such a large turnout.”
For more information about the services and the resources provided by Family Hubs & Children's Centres, please visit the new Family Hubs website at: https://familyhubs.bedford.gov.uk