Families in Fleet, Hampshire, can now enjoy free snacks and drinks every Saturday at the local library as part of a weekly community event. The sessions at Fleet Library run from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, providing a warm and friendly space for parents and children to relax together.
Children can spend the afternoon playing with board games and toys provided by library staff. Separate sessions at the library on other days offer LEGO and craft activities.
The refreshments are funded through the Department for Work and Pensions’ Household Support Fund (HSF) and are organised locally through Hampshire County Council’s connect4communities programme, which helps the council provide extra support to people in need.
According to Hampshire County Council, the initiative is part of its wider work to support households facing financial hardship. Councillor Roz Chadd, Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services, said: “At a time when there is increasing financial pressure on household finances, I’m pleased that the Government has enabled us to extend how we use our Household Support Funding to help more people facing hardship.” The council says HSF-funded support has been extended into the 2025/26 winter period.
