Play Resource
North City Business Centre
2 Duncairn Garden
Belfast, BT15 2GG
028 9035 7540
admin@playresource.org
News & Events
Keep up to date with developments, news, activities and events on at Play Resource through the News & Events Page. Check in and see what's new..!
For the next 4 months at Play Resource at a glance see our Events Calendar. 
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If you wish to be added to our mailing list to receive updates on events and news click here.
June 2008 Exciting new exhibition of BMC Art & Craft Training Course students’ work coming to the Ideas Gallery for July & August
Showcase of BMC Community Art & Craft Training Course at Play Resource sees a fantastic collection of mosaics created by students from OCN Level 2. This course has been designed by artist Anna O’Kane in response to a need she identified for accredited training for those delivering Arts & Craft Workshops in local communities. The next intake of the course OCN Level 1 will start again in September '08.
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13 June 2008 Help us Celebrate 25 Years at our special AGM ‘Play Resource…This Is Your Life’
All members are invited to the Special 25th Anniversary AGM on Friday 13th June 2008 from 11am to 1pm. Please join us on this special occasion to help us celebrate 25 years of providing creative arts, crafts & play resources to children and young people.
NOTE: CLOSED FOR COLLECTION AND PURCHASE OF MATERIALS ON THE DAY.
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June 2008 Summer Scheme Membership to Play Resource available from 1st June to 31st August at a special rate
Don’t forget, any new groups looking to join Play Resource for the summer, with their Summer Schemes in mind, then now is the time with a special 3-month package for only £25. This gives group’s access to the Scrap Store for waste materials, and the Art & Craft Shop to support all activities over the summer. Plus you can get Ideas & Inspiration from the Ideas Gallery, the free demonstrations and craft sheet library.
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June 2008 Arts Training Workshops for Summer Schemes during June at Play Resource. Book a place now!
A full day of training including 2 workshops & lunch costs only £28, representing great value! So get set for a summer of arts… Join our exciting programme of Arts Training Workshops suitable for outdoor and indoor creative play. They will provide an ideal source of ideas and skills for Summer Schemes covering a diverse range of topics suitable for everyone working with children and young people.
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May - August 2008 Closing Dates over the summer at Play Resource
Please note Play Resource will be closed on the following dates over the summer:
Monday 5th May 2008
Monday 26th May 2008
Friday 13th June – Closed for AGM, so no collections or shopping on this day!
Monday 14th & Tuesday 15th July 2008
Monday 25th August 2008
May 2008 Favourite Nursery Rhymes inspire creativity in new the Ideas Gallery display.
The Shop Team have been busy again creating a new display, with Early Years in mind. They set about creating colourful characters based on famous nursery rhymes, using a combination of scrap and shop products to illustrate the rhymes, like Hey diddle diddle the cat and the fiddle….and the dish ran away with the spoon, Baa Baa Black Sheep and Humpty Dumpty. Take a look at the Ideas Gallery for inspiration to get your projects started…
Plus this month the Ideas Gallery plays host as member group PLACE showcase their ‘Our Belfast’ exhibition.
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April 2008
Happy e-birthday to us! This month the ‘new’ e-bulletin service is now 1 year old.
Hopefully you have found it a useful, interesting and inspiring complement to your work with groups of children and young people. With around 500 of you now all signed up to receive news and updates each month from Play Resource it is certainly proving popular!
If you have not already signed up for the free service then simply click here and follow the instructions to subscribe.
April-July 2008
Looking for new scrap & craft ideas for groups then book into our free Arts Demonstrations
Places are limited so call to book and secure a place. Demos taking place, facilitated by experienced artists in April to July:
| April - Wed 16 Apr - Junk Animals with Katie Blue 2pm - 4pm May - Thu 8 May - Plasticene Models with Jim Russell 10am - 12pm Tue 27 May Moving Toys with Caroline Jeffrey 11am - 1pm June - Thu 26 Jun – Fabric Painting with Frances Huddleston 4pm – 6pm Mon 30 Jun – Clay/Plaster with Shauna McCann 2pm – 4pm July - Wed 23 Jul – Ideas with Felt with Amy Willans 10am – 12pm All members are welcome; tea and coffee included. Venue: Play Resource. Call to book a free place on 028 9035 7545. |
April 2008 New member of staff joins the team to support the expanding work of Play Resource
We are delighted to welcome our new full time member of staff, Nicola Hobson. She has just joined the team as Administrator, in a newly created post. She has hit the ground and started running tackling the busy administration for the shop and memberships of Play Resource. Nicola will now be the point of contact for any membership enquiries. So in time, no doubt, you will have the pleasure of speaking to her when you contact Play Resource!
April 2008
Rainy Days just got brighter with exciting new stock just in to the Art & Craft Shop
All the time we are looking at new product ranges, and extending existing product ranges to make sure the Art & Craft Shop has all the latest stock available to you, the members, for getting creative with your groups. As a result this season sees quite a lot of new exciting products coming into the shop.
Make sure you keep an eye on the monthly e-bulletins as another way to see what’s new: Click to download the illustrated What’s New List...
February 2008 Boost your ideas bank this winter by booking a place on our free Art Demos
Boost your ideas bank this January, February & March by coming along to the free arts demos running at Play Resource! Places are limited so call to book and secure a place.
This forthcoming series of multi-cultural themed arts demonstrations, along with the traditional favourites like Valentines, Mothers Day & Easter, offer plenty of fresh ideas & inspiration to get the New Year off to a bright start! So check the dates for your diary.
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4 February 2008Ideas Gallery sees the unveiling of the new ‘Scrap Portrait Gallery’ …with a few familiar faces!
Ever wondered what would happen if you were given a multitude of scrap materials, and a whole range of art & craft materials to create your own portrait?...Well that’s just what happened to the staff and board at Play Resource as part of the staff training and development day to stimulate their knowledge of scrap & shop materials.
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January 2008 Winner of e-prize draw announced and a new member celebrates New Year with £50 Gift Voucher!
In Scrap Rap magazine November 2007 we offered members the chance to win a £50 voucher to spend in the Art & Craft Shop at Play Resource. All they had to do was sign up to receive the monthly e-bulletins. Anyone who took up subscription during December would automatically be entered into our e-Prize Draw. We are delighted to announce the winner as new member -The Den After School Club, Newtownabbey.
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10 December 2007Arts Sector Rally to Save the Arts
Play Resource staff joined hundreds of others from Northern Ireland’s arts sector on the Keep Our Arts Alive Rally, at Stormont on Monday 10 December 2007. The Rally was supported by the Arts Council, and organized in a bid to save the arts and to improve the allocation contained within the Draft Budget 2008-2011.
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November 2007 Gallery will have you seeing double…
This month sees the launch of Ideas Gallery2 in the Scrap Store at Play Resource. Now, if you have missed a previous display there will be a chance to see it again. The Ideas Gallery displays will now rotate from upstairs to downstairs, into the new space created at the back of the warehouse. So if you if you feel like you are seeing double, you probably are…its Ideas Gallery2!
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October & November 2007 Looking for spooky suggestions for Halloween or Christmas Craft Ideas?...
Then come along to the free Arts Demonstrations taking place in our shop, facilitated by experienced artists, in October and November.
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19 October 2007 Invitation to AGM at Play Resource and Launch of Creative Paths Exhibition on Friday 19 October 2007 at 11am – 1pm
A date for your diary – as we invite all members to our Annual General Meeting and the Launch of the Creative Paths Exhibition! This year the AGM will be an informal event showcasing the work of several organisations that have accessed the Creative Paths Arts Programme. Light Lunch will be provided. Please note: The Shop and Scrap areas will be closed on this day.
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October 2007 Christmas Workshops back by popular demand - creative ideas for your group this Christmas are at hand!
They are a must for anyone delivering arts activities for Christmas with groups. Each workshop is led by an experienced artist and lasts for 3 hours. Workshops can be booked individually at a cost of £12 +VAT per session, per person.
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September 2007New Scrap Rap magazine out now - in colour – plus e-bulletin gets a make over too!
Our first issue of Scrap Rap - in colour - is out now! The new look magazine for September is packed full of news, stories, ideas and craft sheets. The magazine now also incorporates the Shop Price List and highlights the next 4-month Calendar of Events – so all you need to know about Play Resource is in one place… the new colour Scrap Rap, also available to download from the web.
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17 September 2007Ideas Gallery launches into the final frontier…Space and sees double!
The Ideas Gallery takes off again for autumn as it launches itself into ‘Space – the Final Frontier’ – the new themed exhibition is to give you more ideas & inspiration using Scrap and Shop materials.
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Saturday 29 September 2007Discover new skills, ideas, and inspiration at the Play Resource Waste Fair on Saturday 29 September from 11am to 3pm
This much anticipated annual event promises to be a wonderful opportunity to see a wide variety of crafts demonstrated by experienced community artists. Gain new skills and get ideas & inspiration for your groups. Everyone is welcome – with free entry to members and non-members. Craft demonstrations will run throughout the day. Everyone is welcome ... so bring a friend!
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18 September 2007Back by popular demand the Community Art & Craft Training Course
Due to start again in September, the Community Arts and Craft Training Course (OCN level 1) is an accredited course aimed at anyone who is working with a community group or intending to work with one, and would like to improve their Art & Craft skills. Each participant will receive a free starter pack of materials from Play Resource to the value of £15. Register now while places still remain!
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July 2007Inspirational Dates for your Diary in June & July for Free Arts Demonstrations
Free Arts Demonstrations with summer themes are taking place in our shop, given by experienced artists during June and July. All members are welcome, no booking is necessary; tea and coffee included.
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June 2007Arts & Craft Shop Summer Sale Starts Monday 11 June
Come and pick up some bargains for summer schemes and activities with our Giant Summer Sale starting on Monday 11 June including; huge discounts on selected lines of books; a vast range of card making stock will be reduced; as well as the Embossing Metal Sets excellent for card making, candle making, or even collage projects. Plus new range of Summer Games just in stock.
May 2007Schools inspire Giant’s Park Art Exhibition
Wednesday 23 May saw the launch of a new exhibition upstairs at Play Resource featuring the artwork produced by three schools involved in the Giant’s Park project; Castle High School; Oakwood School and Assessment Centre and Glenwood Primary School. The exhibition will run until early October 2007. Everyone is invited to come along and have a look upstairs in the Art Space and see how their imaginations ran wild!
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May 2007Summer inspired fun with fabric display recently unveiled in the Ideas Gallery
New Ideas Gallery display is now up on the balcony for the summer! Among the ideas & inspiration on display this season is fun with fabric – painting & dyeing - using free fabric from the Scrap Store or t-shirts on sale in the shop. New ideas on display for your groups include printing techniques, simple mirrors or why not make some music with your group? See the musical instruments created from scrap materials to suit all ages.
May 2007Looking for arts ideas for your Summer Schemes with groups – well we can help with our Workshops during May
We are offering a series of Summer Scheme Training Workshops, for a full day between Mon 14 and Thu 17 May. Each workshop can be booked individually and will appeal to anyone delivering arts activities during the Summer. An experienced community artist will lead each themed workshop.
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April 2007Free Arts Demonstrations with Spring themes taking place in our shop given by experienced artists during April and May
All members are welcome. No booking is necessary; tea and coffee included so put these dates in your diary to visit Play Resource for Ideas & Inspiration:
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March 2007
Register online now to join our mailing list and receive our exciting new monthly e-bulletin featuring special offers, news of Scrap just in, and ideas to make the most of your membership
From March onwards Play Resource will be offering members the chance to receive a new monthly e-bulletin for free; a brief newsletter sent via email each month to keep members up to date with What’s On Offer, in addition to ScrapRap. It will feature special offers in the shop, exciting new arrivals in the Scrap Store, ideas & inspiration, news & events at Play Resource. Simply click on the link to register your email address and join the mailing list!
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Register online now to join our mailing list and receive our exciting new monthly e-bulletin featuring special offers, news of Scrap just in, and ideas to make the most of your membership
From March onwards Play Resource will be offering members the chance to receive a new monthly e-bulletin for free; a brief newsletter sent via email each month to keep members up to date with What’s On Offer, in addition to ScrapRap. It will feature special offers in the shop, exciting new arrivals in the Scrap Store, ideas & inspiration, news & events at Play Resource. Simply click on the link to register your email address and join the mailing list!
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February 2007Spring sparks the Ideas Gallery into life again, plus our collection of over 100 Art & Craft Reference Book Library is now available
Our new display for Spring and Easter has been unveiled, featuring kites and Easter bonnets so if you are looking for fresh Springtime and Easter ideas for your groups; see what the Shop Team and our Artists have been busy creating, using scrap materials and products from the shop. In addition we have new seasonal craft sheets available, plus the Art & Craft Reference Library with a collection of over 100 books including themes like presents and toys to make, games, modelling, jewellery making, papercraft and lots more. So step into Spring full of ideas and inspiration for your group after paying a visit to the Ideas Gallery, upstairs at Play Resource!
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February 2007Waste to Art Appeal celebrates environmentally sound partnership
Since the launch of the Appeal back in September 2006 we have received a great deal of interest from firms, however not all the waste offered has been suitable. But we are delighted to have found 4 new firms to donate their waste to Play Resource.
GPS Colour Graphics is one of them, Winner of the All Ireland Print Awards for ‘Environmental Printer of the Year’. Having examined their production streams to cut down on waste, they have pledged any remaining waste will be donated to Play Resource. “The partnership between GPS and Play Resource is a responsible way for GPS to ensure that waste materials, collected regularly, are reused in a way that benefits the local community and the environment. We hope that other firms will follow our example” says Helen Bell, GPS Business Development Director.
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February 2007New Extended Schools Arts Initiative is launched to work in partnership with schools
Since the launch of the Appeal back in September 2006 we have received a great deal of interest from firms, however not all the waste offered has been suitable. But we are delighted to have found 4 new firms to donate their waste to Play Resource.
“Our services and activities are designed to give children and young people throughout Northern Ireland opportunities to engage in high quality creative experiences that promote learning and development. They are tailored to encourage children's creativity and confidence through artistic expression, with over 20 years experience in the field it makes us a natural partner for schools looking to develop and their Extended Schools Programmes’ says Gail McGarvey, Deputy Director of Play Resource.
Around 1,300 schools have been contacted with information about the scheme offered by Play Resource to make them aware of the services and support available that will enhance any Extended Schools Programme by using the arts, play and creativity in an educational setting. So far the response has been very positive.
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November 2006Unveiling of Members Community Notice board
Downstairs in the warehouse there is a big new notice board available for members to display information - so whether you want to promote an event or activity with your group, put up pictures of work created with your group, or advertise services you offer, what better place to do it! This specially dedicated space to share ideas and information with the wider community of Play Resource members is now available - and as there are 2,500 of you so just think of that potential! For more information contact Fiona Chapman on 028 9035 7540 or by post.
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September 2006New Developments at Play Resource include the launch of the Ideas Gallery and extended opening hours
Back by popular demand and are the Art & Craft demonstrations to take place through-out the year each month in the shop and a new Ideas Gallery has been created on the balcony upstairs at Play Resource, as well as the introduction of extended opening hours from Thursday 7 September. We will be open until 7.00pm every Thursday evening, and open on Friday mornings from 9.30 - 1pm.
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28th September 2006Play Resource nomination wins 'Small Charity' Award at NICVA Link Awards
RFD Beaufort Ltd won the 'Small Charity' Award at the NICVA Link Awards for their unwavering commitment to the work of charity Play Resource over the years. In return for a lot of rubbish, RFD Beaufort Ltd took the small charity award!
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Thursday 28th September 2006Waste Fair Open Day
Play Resource is holding a Waste Fair to mark its annual Open Day, starting at 10am in Play Resource, North City Business Centre, Duncairn Gardens, Belfast.
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21st September 2006Play Resource launch 'Waste to Art' Appeal
The launch of our 'Waste to Art' Appeal took place at the Showcase for the Industry Arts Project. The appeal is aimed at industry and commerce across Northern Ireland. The 'Waste to Art Appeal' asks them to consider a new way to dispose of their non-toxic waste ."Don't throw it away - Give it to Play!"
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21st September 2006Industry Arts Showcase Event
The showcase took place at Play Resource in the Art Space, exhibiting artwork created by children from 13 different primary schools across Northern Ireland, to show their artwork created using waste from their local factories. The exhibition of work was the culmination of a 12-month eco-art scheme.
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