Berechurch Family Hub - Colchester Borough

29/05/2026

We often talk about small children drowning. But any child can drown - even strong swimmers.

They may overestimate how strong a swimmer they are or underestimate risks in the sea or open water, like lakes, rivers and reservoirs.

Please talk to your older children about water safety:

💧Teach them to choose safe places to swim like public pools and beaches with lifeguards

💧Explain the risk of swimming in open water. Even on a very warm day, open water can be cold enough to cause cold water shock. This physical reaction makes it hard to control breathing or to swim, causing swimmers to panic.

💧Talk to them about what to do if this ever happens. And teach them how to float.

Find out more https://capt.org.uk/drowning/

2026 is cominng soon - Monday 1st to Sunday 7th June - Follow us for top tips to keep your family safe

28/05/2026

Join us at the Summertime Share Community Event next Friday June 5th at St Margaret's Church Hall, for a range of information and support.

28/05/2026

With temperatures rising and all the hot weather, are you worried your child is not drinking enough? See ERIC UK's post below for some top tips, and why this is important for good bowel and bladder health

🌞With temperatures soaring in some parts of the UK, are you worried your child isn't drinking enough?

Children should drink 6-8 glasses of water-based fluid every day.

Drinking water is important for good bowel and bladder health, and for tackling daytime wetting, night-time wetting and poo problems like constipation, but we understand it can be hard to get kids to drink enough.

Here are a few tips on how to encourage your child to drink more:

🔵Make ice lollies using well-diluted squash. Don’t add sugar and avoid using blackcurrant squash, which can irritate the bladder.
🔵Jazz up their water with ice cubes, umbrellas and slices of fruit.
🔵Buy or customise your own funky straws.
🔵Let them choose their cup and fill it themselves.
🔵Make sugar-free jellies that contain the equivalent of one cup of water.
🔵Use our Wee Checker colour chart to see if your child is drinking enough. Print it out and put it on your bathroom door so that your child can learn to spot the signs of dehydration and be motivated to have another drink.

Find more tips on how to encourage your child to drink more on the ERIC website: https://eric.org.uk/childrens-bladders/how-to-get-kids-to-drink-more-water/

Let us know your tips or tricks for encouraging children to drink more in the comments!

28/05/2026

🌱☀️ Children’s Gardening Week is here!

With the weather warming up, it’s the perfect time to get outside and get growing. From planting flowers and building bird feeders, there are so many fun ways to help children connect with nature and get active.

Find simple, family-friendly ideas to try at home 👉 https://www.childrensgardeningweek.co.uk/fun-things-to-do/

28/05/2026

https://rnli.org/safety

Get sea safety and cold water safety advice from the RNLI’s experts, learn how to Float to Live and find out more about staying safe at the coast.

27/05/2026

27/05/2026

Children love growing plants and love being involved in the garden but they’re often impatient, wanting to see instant results! National Children’s Gardening Week takes place annually in the ‘warm’ week at the end of May as this is the time that captures children's enthusiasm for growing with super quick results. There are lots of fabulous ideas for things to do with you little ones to encourage their green fingers, just follow this link: https://www.childrensgardeningweek.co.uk/fun-things-to-do/

26/05/2026

This June 5-12 year olds will be welcome to read a picture book to one of the amazing Essex Therapy Dogs at Colchester Library.
This event will run every Tuesday in June, from 4pm - 5pm in the children's library on the ground floor.

This June, Colchester Library will be hosting a 'Reading to a Therapy Dog' event. 🐕‍🦺

5-12 year olds will be welcome to come and read a picture book to one of the amazing Essex Therapy Dogs.

This event will run every Tuesday in June, from 4pm - 5pm in the children's library on the ground floor.

No need to book, spots will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

https://library-events.essex.gov.uk/search?l=53&q=therapy

26/05/2026

As the weather starts to get warmer, lots of families will be spending time in the garden. But when you have little ones it’s important to keep water safety in mind.

It’s scary to think about but drowning doesn’t happen like it does in the movies. A drowning child doesn’t splash about or cry for help. They slip quietly under the water, often unnoticed.

Fortunately, once you understand how and where drowning happens, there are things you can do to prevent it.

Our Watch out in water fact sheet offers bite-sized facts and tips on water safety. Please read and share: https://capt.org.uk/resources/watch-out-in-water-fact-sheet/

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⭐ 2026 is coming soon - Monday 1st to Sunday 7th June - Follow us for top tips to keep your family safe ⭐