Six Family Hubs open with free launch days from 27 October to 7 November, in Woodley, Twyford, Wokingham, Shinfield, Winnersh and Finchampstead.

Six of the borough’s children’s centres are reopening as Family Hubs, and each is holding a free launch day over October half term and early November. The first is at Ambleside in Woodley on Tuesday 27 October (Wokingham Borough Council, 8 October 2026).

The hubs bring health visiting, parenting support, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services, early years activities and community groups into one building. They are for families from pregnancy until a child turns 18, or 25 for young people with SEND.

The launch days

Each day has refreshments and activities for all ages. The council says some of the activities depend on good weather.

Hub Where Date Time What’s on
Ambleside Ambleside Close, Woodley, RG5 4JJ Tuesday 27 October 11am to 3pm Gaming bus, circus skills, baby play, chill-out space for older children
Starlings Colleton Drive, Twyford, RG10 0AX Wednesday 28 October 11am to 3pm Football, board games, glitter tattoos
Brambles Budges Gardens, Wokingham, RG40 1PX Thursday 29 October 11am to 3pm Bouncy castle, treasure hunt, sign language storytime
The Red Kite Chestnut Crescent, Shinfield, RG2 9EJ Friday 30 October 11am to 3pm Face painting, pumpkin hunt, sensory play, football with Reading FC Community Trust
Winnersh Rainbow Park, Winnersh, RG41 5SG Tuesday 3 November 9am to 1pm Outdoor and messy play, cake
Finchampstead FBC Centre, Gorse Ride North, RG40 4ES Saturday 7 November 10am to 1pm Sports and autumn crafts

The four October dates fall in the half-term week for most of the borough’s schools. Check your own school’s dates on our Wokingham school term dates page. Finchampstead’s is the only Saturday event.

What the hubs offer

The council lists these services at the hubs:

  • health visiting, antenatal support and infant feeding advice
  • parenting programmes and drop-in sessions
  • SEND support
  • advice on child development, mental health, and speech and language
  • help with childcare funding and the cost of living

Families can register for free online. Anyone who has not registered can fill in a form on their first visit.

The hubs are part of the Department for Education’s Best Start Family Hubs programme. The change widens the old children’s centres’ focus beyond the early years to cover older children and teenagers as well.

Cllr Prue Bray, the council’s executive member for children’s services, said the hubs were “designed to be welcoming places where families can find help, advice, activities and opportunities to connect with others”.

The launches follow the opening of The Glade, a new centre for 16 to 25-year-olds with SEND on the former Wokingham Library site in Denmark Street. It took its first learners in September. Activate Learning runs it, and the council says it will grow to 40 learners by 2028. Our earlier report covers the council’s wider plan for more SEND places.

What it means for you

  • Pick your nearest hub from the table and turn up on the day. The council has not asked people to book.
  • Register beforehand if you can, using the council’s online form, to save time on the door.
  • Weather matters for some of the outdoor activities, so check the council’s Family Hubs page before setting off on a wet day.
  • For more ideas over half term, see things to do in Wokingham.