History

The Early Years
Play Resource has a long history of supporting the voluntary and community sector. Set up in 1983 on small scale as a result of a few hard working community workers who recognised the need for a resource centre to support children’s play activities. They found a city centre home in Tomb Street, providing warehouse space and a tiny shop, secured funding and began to employ staff. In the first 2 years of the project membership reached 300.

Developments
By 1991 membership had grown to over 1,000 and the pressure on the existing resources prompted a move. For the next 10 years their second home in Alexandra Park provided a larger warehouse space – although it was dark and cluttered, had a leaky roof and flooding in the warehouse!

This coupled with an increased demand from members for waste materials, hire equipment, and workshops that would provide training on art, craft and play activities, led the Play Resource team to look to its next phase of development.

Following a survey of members who confirmed that the cold, drafty, damp warehouse could certainly be improved upon, and an assessment of the limitations to the services offered in the existing warehouse, they took the step to apply for funding to build a new purpose built larger warehouse. After successfully securing funding and embarking on the building project a new home for Play Resource was created in Duncairn Gardens, North Belfast as part of the regeneration plans for the area.

2002 to the Present Day
Since the move to Duncairn Gardens in 2002 members now enjoy the benefits of; an improved environment, greater range of waste materials, a larger shop, purpose built training room, and an extended arts programme.

Since its origins Play Resource has been supported by Belfast City Council, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Youth Council for Northern Ireland. These bodies remain the main funders of the organisation today, although the project now generates a fairly substantial share of its own revenue, which is then re-invested into the centre.

For over 20 years now, Play Resource has consistently provided a range of services and worked with other agencies to promote creative, artistic and educational opportunities for an estimated 280,000 children and young people each year. It has developed and provided services in response to demand from community groups, many of who work with children from the most disadvantaged parts of Northern Ireland. It is a project well known for its friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

In 2008, Play Resource celebrated 25 years of providing arts, craft and play resources to children and young people through-out Northern Ireland.