FREE TAKE ME HOME ® Herts IN THIS ISSUE WIN a Family Holiday! WIN tickets to the Herts County Show! Easter Wizard of Oz 6617 - 177April Aprill • Wizard of Oz Walkthrough • Easter Shows NEW Baby Lambs, • Bunnies & Chicks • Tractor & Trailer Rides Plus plenty of Indoor, Outdoor & Animal Activities! Nr Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9J H meadopenfarm.co.uk MOF-AM-20-019 Ad-Easter (FHerts 118x70).indd 1 06/02/2020 09:20 Issuefamiliesonline.co.uk 91 March/April 2020 familiesonline.co.uk1 Could you welcome a foster child into your family? We need foster carers for children and young people in Hertfordshire. Can you offer a nurturing, safe and stable home? Hertfordshire County Council provide an allowance, training and unrivalled 24/7 support, every step of the way. For further information on Fostering call us on 0800 917 0925 FOSTERWITHUS In partnership with www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/fostering @hertfordshirefostering @HCCFosterAdopt MARLOWESM NEXT EVENT SATURDAY 28TH MARCH Free kids activities the last Saturday of every month Visit themarlowes.co.uk for more information 2 Families Herts Herts You and your family can win days out and activities with the Hello a fabulous holiday with Away family (and another competition!). Resorts, details on page 4, and Enjoy the read! Welcome to the March/ we’re also giving you a chance to April issue of Families win one of three family tickets to The Hertfordshire County Show, Dale Hertfordshire Magazine. which is a truly great day out. Find out how to enter on Page 5. Spring is here, and we have some great competitions to celebrate We have all your usual features too the dryer, warmer and sunnier days – including Education, Parenting, the season brings us! Clubs & Classes – and don’t forget to check out Spring What’s On for Tel: 07958284983 Email: [email protected] Preloved parent, In this issue: Web: www.familiesonline.co.uk Editor: Dale Harry child and baby goods News & Views 4-7 Design: 45 Degrees Design & Print Listings editor: Karen Porter Whether it’s a pram, toys or clothing you’re after, there’s a bargain to be had Careers & Work 8 /FamiliesHerts //FamiliesHerts at the Welwyn and Hatfi eld NCT sale. High quality items will be on off er on Education 10-11 Market your business with Families Herts Saturday 21 March from 12.30pm–2pm (NCT members can enter from 12 • We reach over 45,000 engaged Childcare 13 readers each issue noon) at Onslow St. Audrey’s School, • Distribute from schools, tuition centres, leisure Old Rectory Drive, Hatfi eld, AL10 8AB. Parenting 14 attractions and more There’s a raffl e, light refreshments • We have a high repeat booking rate, so advertising with us works and if you’d like to sell or volunteer at What’s On 15-19 trusted, infl uential, visible 07958284983 the event just email nns.welhat@nct. org.uk for more information. 1 T 8 7 S 9 E TFORDSHI HER RE COUNTY SHOW 23rd & 24th May 2020 A Showcase of Hertfordshire’s finest farming, food, entertainment and shopping J9, M1 Redbourn #hertsshow Special Families Magazine DISCOUNT RATE use code HSFamilies for your EARLY BIRD 20 price. Valid until 22nd May BOOK ONLINE AT hertsshow.com OR CALL: 0344 850 2122 Senior/ Senior/ Adult Child Family* Adult Child Family* Student Student EARLY BIRD 20 ADVANCE Oct – 20 Jan £19 £9 £45 £16.50 21 May-22 May £22.50 £10 £55 £20 SUPER SAVER 21 Jan- 20 May £20 £9.50 £49 £18 ON THE DAY £24 £12 £58 £21 Families Hertfordshire (FH) is part of the Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families® is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks, SL8 5TD. The content of FH is fully protected by copyright. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families Print Ltd and FH cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof. News & Views COMPETITION WIN a Family Holiday at an Appeal for foster Away Resort of your choice*! (Just take part in Wear a Hat Day on 27 March to raise carer families money for Brain Tumour Research) Hertfordshire County Council is making an urgent appeal Away Resorts off ers family holidays at award-winning to residents to consider opening their homes and hearts to holiday parks, each superbly located and unique. Mill children and young people by becoming foster carers. Rythe on Hayling Island off ers a holiday jam-packed with There are approximately 950 children in care in activities from zorbing to an outdoor high ropes course, Hertfordshire and many of these children need the love and plus daytime and evening entertainment. Sandy Balls support of a foster family. There are many diff erent types of in the New Forest gets you back to nature; delve into fostering and foster carers can choose what is right for them the forest with its resident alpacas, enjoy a serene spa, and their family. You must be over 21 and have at least one fantastic on-site restaurants, and an array of activities. spare room at home. Tattershall Lakes in Lincolnshire is a water world away. Councillor Teresa Heritage, Deputy Leader of Hertfordshire From fi shing and pedalos to jet-skiing and a water aqua County Council and Cabinet Member for Children, Young park, there’s fabulous on-site restaurants, rooftop bars, People and Families, said: “With a new year and decade indoor/outdoor splashpads and activity programmes for upon us, many people may feel they wish to make a change all. Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight off ers the perfect to their life. Fostering would not only change their lives but balance, with rolling countryside on one side and a also those of a child or young person.” beautiful sandy beach on the other. The park bustles with Foster carers receive full training, 24/7 support and a great on-site activities for families. generous allowance. To Enter: Visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/fostering 1. Register for Wear a Hat Day 2020 at or ring 0800 917 0925 for more information. www.wearahatday.org and take part on 27 March. 2. Email your competition entry, full name and post code to [email protected] or enter online at https://bit.ly/2OytS6D by 30 April 2020.’ If you are pregnant or a parent/carer Use the same email address, name and post code for of a child under 19 your local family both steps 1 and 2. centre would love to meet you. T&Cs: *Excludes Mersea Island Holiday Park and Barmouth Bay Holiday Park. Prize is for a seven-night stay for two adults and two What happens at a family centre? children. Accommodation provided will be of Superior or Luxury grade at Sandy Balls, Tattershall Lakes and Whitecliff Bay, and Ambassador Hertfordshire’s Family Centre Service brings children’s at Mill Rythe, subject to availability. Prize value will be dependent on centres, health visiting and school nursing together to provide location and time of year chosen. More T&Cs online. a joined up service for children, young people and their families from pregnancy through to when a child reaches 19, offering a range of activities and services to help them grow and develop. Why should you register your family? ST ALBANS INCLUSION ADVOCACY SERVICE • By registering with a family centre you and your child/children can have fun, meet new people and learn together through activities. PARENTS – TEENAGERS – YOUNG PEOPLE • If you need help and support, the family centre will try and give you what you need. Do you sometimes feel Isolated - overwhelmed - not sure which way to turn • To give you the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the family centre and help shape the services on offer. >V\SK`V\ILULÄ[MYVT For more information and to register visit A friendly listening ear – extra support or advice www.hertsfamilycentres.org supported signposting to services >LJHUOLSWMHJL[VMHJLWOVULZ\WWVY[ The Civic Centre Hub, room 2, Mon 10 – 4 & Weds 10 – 2 Telephone 01992 638000 [email protected] www.hertfordshireppp.co.uk 4 Families Herts News & Views Don’t miss the spectacular Hertfordshire County Show! One of the biggest events in the calendar for Hertfordshire families is taking place over the May Bank Holiday weekend, and is off ering the fi nest farming, food, entertainment and shopping you can fi nd! The Hertfordshire County Show is even bigger for 2020, with more to see and do for families. In the Countryside Arena, the 2019 favourites The Dog and Duck Show will be returning, alongside the Hilarious Sheep Show, the Bassets, the Beagles and the rare Heavy Horses. New for 2020 is Ferret World, where kids and adults will get the chance to race against the ferrets, and can walk away with their very own County Show rosette. Across the road in the Village Green you’ll once again fi nd a hub of music and entertainment, from the Extreme Bike Battle team, showing off their BMX skills, through to the climbing wall, which at 7m high is a challenge even for WIN FAMILY TICKET TO THE HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY SHOW big kids! The Village Green is also the home of the ‘Todd in the Hole’ stage, where you can see local artists perform all The Hertfordshire County Show is a celebration of all weekend, singing tunes you’ll know as well as new favourites. things Hertfordshire and takes place on 23 and 24 May The Hertfordshire Farmyard is a ‘must see’ every year and at The Showground, Dunstable Road, Redbourn.