Free vitamins in libraries to help boost health in Devon

Libraries Unlimited and Devon County Council Public Health have partnered to offer free vitamins in selected libraries. The pilot scheme will offer free Healthy Start vitamins to eligible families at Kingsbridge, Tiverton, and Teignmouth Libraries from 1st December 2025.

The innovative scheme is looking to make the vitamins available to Devon residents via libraries to increase accessibility and uptake. As of April 2025, over 2,500 people in Devon (excluding Plymouth and Torbay) were receiving Healthy Start. However, it’s estimated that up to 2,000 additional eligible families and individuals are not yet signed up. 

Families and individuals may be eligible for free Healthy Start vitamins if they are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, and meet income or benefit criteria. Applications can be made online, by phone, or email. Find out more about Healthy Start: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/how-to-apply/  

Healthy Start is a national NHS-led initiative supporting eligible pregnant women, parents, and families with children under four. The programme offers financial support towards the cost of fruit, vegetables, pulses, cows’ milk, and infant formula, as well as free vitamins, which help to meet recommended vitamin intake when it is a challenge from diet alone.   

Alex Kittow, CEO at Libraries Unlimited, shared: “Libraries are more than just books. Our libraries are trusted community hubs, making them ideal locations to support parents and early years’ development. We are pleased to be working with Devon County Council to make Healthy Start more accessible and support our communities. With the extremely low free vitamin scheme uptake in Devon, we are keen to help close the gap between eligibility and participation in Healthy Start. Hopefully, this initiative will encourage uptake and remove barriers to this important resource for families with young children and pregnant people.”  

“We are really excited to be working with Libraries Unlimited at Kingsbridge, Tiverton, and Teignmouth libraries to make accessing Healthy Start vitamins easier. The Healthy Start scheme is a really important source of financial and nutritional support for families, and many who are eligible are currently missing out. Having Healthy Start Ambassadors at libraries is a fantastic opportunity to increase awareness of the scheme in local communities, link with other child and family initiatives, and bring the scheme into environments that many families are already visiting.” said Harriet Kretowicz, Advanced Public Health Practitioner at Public Health Devon. 

Adult Healthy Start vitamins contain folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin D, while children’s vitamin drops provide vitamins A, C, and D. All products are free from milk, egg, gluten, soya, and peanut residues, and are suitable for vegetarians and halal diets.  

To access Healthy Start support and free vitamins in libraries. Visit Kingsbridge, Tiverton or Teignmouth Library. Show your Healthy Start card to a member of library staff and ask about free vitamins.