Stoke-on-Trent Best Start Family Hubs

23/06/2026

🌞 Hot weather is here 🌞

Please take care over the next few days. Hot weather can affect babies, children and adults, so small steps can help everyone stay well.

🥤 Drink plenty of water
🧴 Use sunscreen, a hat and light clothes
🌳 Stay indoors or in the shade between 11am and 3pm

Keeping cool helps keep families safe. For more tips, visit the NHS website. 💛

Whether you're heading to the beach, playing in the park or out in your own backyard, it's really important to think about sun protection for little ones. Follow our tips on sun safety for kids and make sure everyone enjoys the sunshine safely when you're out and about.

23/06/2026

❗ Parents of teenagers, please read and share this 👇🏼
Advice from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue 🛟

❗ Parents of teenagers, please read and share this so we can try and prevent any further drownings.

This week, we are due to hit record breaking temperatures and we know that kids will seek out open water to cool down.

Please spend just a few minutes discussing these three key points with them - it could save their life:

💧 Explain the hidden dangers of open water and encourage them to visit a supervised pool instead.
💧 Ensure they know to float, instead of thrash if they get into difficulty.
💧 Remind them to never enter the water to rescue someone else - instead ring 999 and use the what3words app to mark their location.

📱 Please share this post, the more people who receive this message, the less people we hope will get into difficulty.

23/06/2026

🌈 Thank you, Stoke On Trent Pride! 🌈

Thank you to Stoke On Trent Pride for having us at Pride on Saturday. It was such a bright, happy day and it was lovely meeting so many families.

Your smiles, chats and creativity made the day feel really special 💛

Pride shows how strong, welcoming and joyful our city can be. Every family deserves to feel seen, safe and celebrated — today and every day.

🌟 Thank you for having us, Pride. Can’t wait for next year.

23/06/2026

🌱 Get Your Free Healthy Start Vitamins! 🌱
Available at all Best Start Family Hubs
Did you know you can collect free NHS Healthy Start vitamins with your Healthy Start card?
✔️ Vitamins for women during pregnancy & up to 1 year after with a Healthy Start card
✔️ Vitamin drops for babies and young children (birth to 4 years)
✔️ Easy to collect from any Stoke-on-Trent Family Hub
Keeping families healthy, one little drop at a time! 💙
Find out more:
👉 www.healthystart.nhs.uk
Follow:
📍 Pop into your nearest Family Hub to pick yours up today!

23/06/2026

💜 Well-being Group Update 💜

Please note that Sally's Well-being Group at Hanley Market will not be running on Tuesday 23 June, 10am-12pm due to annual leave.

✅ All other Well-being Groups will be running as normal:

📍 Monday – Shelton Best Start Family Hub, 10am–12pm
📍 Wednesday – Blurton Best Start Family Hub, 1pm–2.30pm
📍 Thursday – Chell Heath Best Start Family Hub, 10am–12pm
📍 Friday – Bentilee Best Start Family Hub, 9.30am–11am
📍 Friday – Bescura Family Hub, 1pm–2.30pm

💜 Well-being Groups offer a friendly space to enjoy a coffee, have a chat and access support for your emotional wellbeing during pregnancy or while caring for a child under two years old.

Thank you for your understanding. Sally looks forward to welcoming everyone back to the Hanley group the following week.

22/06/2026

🌈 FREE Play Spaces Across Stoke-on-Trent! 🌈
Looking for somewhere fun (and completely FREE!) to take the kids?
Family Hubs and local markets offer brilliant soft‑play areas open to everyone! 🤩
🏠 Best Start Family Hubs – Free Play Areas:
✨ Abbey Hulton Best Start Family Hub – Abbots Road, ST2 8DU
✨ Bentilee Best Start Family Hub – Dawlish Drive, ST2 0HW
✨ Blurton Best Start Family Hub – Finstock Avenue, ST3 3JU
✨ Normacot Best Start Family Hub – Buccleuch Road, ST3 4RF

🛍️ Did you know there are also free Soft Play in Markets:
🔵 Hanley Market – Mon to Sat | 9am–4.45pm
🟢 Longton Market – Wed, Fri & Sat | 9am–5pm
🔴 Stoke Market – Wed, Fri & Sat | 9am–5pm
🟣 Tunstall Market – Wed, Fri and Sat | 9am–5pm
Bring the little ones to burn off some energy, play, explore, and have fun in safe, welcoming spaces ❤️
No booking needed — just pop in and play!

22/06/2026

🌼 Baby Massage
A quiet, cosy time just for you and your little one 💛
Enjoy simple, soothing strokes that help your baby feel calm, safe and settled.
Loving touch can support better sleep, ease tension and strengthen your bond.
It’s also a lovely way to meet other parents and feel supported.
📍 Where & When
Monday: Abbey Hulton Best Start Family Hub
Tuesday: Blurton Best Start Family Hub
Thursday: Chell Heath Best Start Family Hub
Thursday: Best Start Family Hub @ Hanley Market
👉 Sign up here:
https://forms.office.com/e/BV9xd7LDcQ

21/06/2026

🎉 Free Fun at Best Start Family Hubs! 🎉
Come along for games, play time, and fun activities! No need to book!
There are groups for babies, toddlers, and parents too.
📍There's something fun at all Stoke-on-Trent Best Start Family Hubs
Everyone is welcome – we’d love to see you there! 💕

21/06/2026

Did you receive early language support services for your child born between April 2025 and March 2026? If yes, we want to hear from you!

Tell us about your views and experiences of the family hubs’ support services, so we can learn what helps and what could be better for families like yours. Your feedback will contribute to research conducted on behalf of the Department for Education and will be used to improve services to better support families like yours.

Take part in a short survey to share your views and for the chance to win £100, before 17 July 2026 using this link or scanning this QR code 👇
https://ipsos.uk/LA65NGYC