ISLE OF PLAY TO OFFER ENHANCED SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN IN CRISIS

A popular children’s charity has received a big boost to help enhance its offering within the local community.

Manx Lottery Trust has awarded £50,000 to Isle of Play, which provides opportunities for young people in the Isle of Man to fulfil their ‘Right to Play’. Based at Lester's Yard in Douglas, children of all ages and abilities can take part in a variety of adventurous activities such as den building, fire making, outdoor cooking and socialising with peers; all under the supervision of trained playworkers.

With more than 600 children registered, Lester's Yard has become a vital part of the community. While primarily a place for play, it has become much more than that, with many of the children that use the facility facing challenges in their home and personal lives. The playground represents a safe place where they can be themselves, talk to adults and seek help and reassurance.

The pandemic has caused an exponential increase in demand for Isle of Play and the support services it offers, particularly one-to-one support for young people in crisis. The Manx Lottery Trust funding will allow Isle of Play to employ additional qualified team members to deliver this much-needed one-to-one provision, also enabling specialised training for new and existing staff.

Chris Gregory, Chief Executive of Isle of Play, said: ‘We are incredibly grateful to Manx Lottery Trust for this vital funding, which will enable us to offer enhanced support for the children that need our help. We firmly believe in the power of play and importance of the great outdoors for mental health and wellbeing, and this grant will be essential in helping us to improve the lives of young people in the Isle of Man throughout 2022 and beyond.’

Sarah Kelly, Chairman of Manx Lottery Trust, said: ‘It is a pleasure to offer our support to Isle of Play, which works so hard to make a difference to the lives of local children, particularly with the impact of the pandemic continuing. We are pleased to award this grant and wish the team every success.’

This grant was awarded from the Dormant Assets Fund. To find out more about the Manx Lottery Trust Dormant Assets Fund, please visit: www.mlt.org.im/grant-programmes