A Southampton children's activity specialist has been named as the official training partner for a national scheme.

Kidztivity, founded by Chris Sharman, will lead the training for the Grandparents Welcome National Framework.

This is a government-backed initiative that aims to help activity providers better engage with grandparents and make them feel welcome in pre-school and extra-curricular classes.

The initiative, led by What’s On 4 Kids founder Sam Godfrey-Moore, brings together 24 organisations from the children’s activities sector.

It is supported by social entrepreneur George Bevis, founder of banking platform Tide, and uses digital tools to promote stronger intergenerational bonds.

The scheme has already been recognised with an Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award, earning £75,000 in grant funding and access to expert business support.

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With national momentum behind it, the scheme has appointed Kidztivity as its official training partner, putting a Southampton business at the heart of a major national rollout.

Chris, who has worked in children’s leisure and activity provision for nearly 30 years, will also join two of the initiative’s key working groups.

Chris has previously worked with global brands including Disney, LazyTown, and David Lloyd, and is known across the sector for his strategic support and product innovation.

His company, Kidztivity, is also headline sponsor of Children’s Activities Week 2025, organised by What’s On 4 Kids in support of Caudwell Children.

Speaking ahead of the project’s next phase, Chris said: "I'm excited to be a part of what I'm sure will be a hugely beneficial project for the sector.

"Harnessing technology, innovation, and partnerships with some of the best names in the sector can only support the growth of what we live for, getting more children, more active, more often."

The wider children’s activity sector supports more than two million children a week and contributes £17.7 billion annually to the UK economy.

This latest initiative highlights the crucial role of grandparents in family life and offers a new opportunity for growth, led in part by a Southampton business making a national impact.