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Free and low-cost activities to keep the children entertained this summer

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The summer holidays have now started and there’s plenty of free or low-cost activities to enjoy around North Somerset, helping families make the pennies go further.

The Festival of Archaeology comes to Weston-super-Mare on Saturday 29 July, 10am to 3pm, with North Somerset Council and Weston Museum hosting a free event for families with children of all ages. 

Get involved in a range of crafts and activities including constructing an Iron Age roundhouse, designing a Roman Mosaic, weaving a Viking Braid and creating Medieval stained glass. To find out more, visit www.archaeologyuk.org/festival/festival-event-listing/archaeological-crafts-and-discovery-at-weston-museum.htm

Two free ‘Party in the Park’ events are also taking place this summer, organised by North Somerset Council. Open to all, the first event takes place at Clarence Park, Weston-super-Mare on 4 August, 1.30-4.30pm. The second Party in the Park is at Lake Grounds, Portishead on 11 August 1.30-4.30pm.

Here there will be lots of fun activities on offer to keep children of all ages entertained including sports, art, face painting, puppet shows, balloon modelling, circus skills and loads more!

Party in the Park is part of North Somerset Council’s Holidays, Activities and Food (HAF) 2023 programme, funded by the Department for Education. HAF is open to children and young people aged five to 16 years old who attend a North Somerset school and receive benefits-related free school meals.

Other HAF events available over the summer include Art in Action, Activate Sports, Future Stars Coaching and Youth Specific trips. For a full listing of HAF events in your area, check out:  https://n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/benefits-support/other-benefits-support/holiday-activities-food-haf-programme/haf-activities

A number of free events will also be taking place in North Somerset libraries throughout the summer holidays. Visit http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/libraryevents for the most up to date details of events taking place near you.

And don’t forget that local libraries give access to over 2.5million items available to borrow including books, digital resources and learning materials. With the option to borrow up to 20 items at a time, there’s bound to be something to keep the children entertained. Visit www.librarieswest.org.uk for more information.

Completely free and good for both physical and mental wellbeing, enjoy some amazing walks this summer along the region’s many beaches, parks, woodlands and North Somerset’s public rights of way. Check out http://www.northsomersetlife.co.uk for inspiration on new walks to try – and if the pennies stretch, enjoy a drink and a bite to eat along the way and support local North Somerset businesses.

Money Saving Central (https://moneysavingcentral.co.uk/) has also updated its list of supermarkets and restaurants where children can eat for free or £1 until September which can help families struggling with rising food costs this summer.

Cllr Catherine Gibbons, Deputy Leader of North Somerset Council said: “Long weeks of summer holidays stretch ahead and there’s plenty of fun things to do if you don’t have a lot of spare money at the moment. North Somerset Council are hosting a number of free events and we have plenty of open green spaces for everyone to enjoy free of charge.  If you are struggling financially, please get in touch. Local help and support is available. You can find out more at North Somerset Council’s cost of living web pages.” 

For more information on events taking place near you this summer, check out local social media or community websites. And if you need cost of living help and support please visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/col.