ChangeX and the LEGO Foundation have partnered up to launch an exciting new play-focused fund that will support community projects across the UK. This new fund, worth £80,000, aims to empower communities to create more playful experiences for children.
The LEGO Foundation is a global organization dedicated to ensuring children have the opportunity to learn through play and reach their full potential. Their partnership with ChangeX is focused on activating more learning through play projects in communities around the world, inspiring more people to champion the power of play, and scaling proven play ideas.
This new fund is the third UK Community Play Fund to be launched by ChangeX and the LEGO Foundation, following the success of previous funds in 2022 and 2023. It is one of seven play funds being launched this summer and comes after the recent launch of a dedicated fund to celebrate the first ever International Day of Play on June 11.
Since their partnership began, ChangeX and the LEGO Foundation have launched 25 community play funds in 9 countries, including the UK. These funds have supported 1,097 community play projects and benefited almost 162,000 children. In 2024, Vietnam will be added as the tenth country to this partnership.
Sherrelle Parke, founder of Bantu Baby, received funding for a heroes-themed Play Day in Essex and shared her experience, saying “It was great to see so many families out enjoying themselves, without having to worry about what they could afford or how to entertain the children for an afternoon! The overall aim was to create an environment where children could ‘learn through play’ and to bring local families together to increase a sense of neighbourliness.”
The new UK Community Play Fund is open to anyone who wants to transform their community through play, including non-profits, community groups, schools, parents, and passionate individuals. It will support communities in bringing existing play ideas to life, such as creating mini teaching gardens or spreading joy through books, in their neighbourhoods.
Niamh McKenna, co-founder and head of impact at ChangeX, expressed her excitement for the partnership, stating, “Our ongoing partnership with the LEGO Foundation is empowering communities across the UK to enrich children’s lives through play. Building on our track record of impact across 9 countries, we’re thrilled to offer funding to passionate changemakers eager to make a playful difference in their communities. We want to ensure that as many children as possible have the opportunity to develop essential skills by learning through play.”
Funding from the UK Community Play Fund will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. To find out more, visit ChangeX’s website.
ChangeX is a community engagement platform that works with social innovators to scale proven solutions to environmental, economic, and social issues. They partner with companies and foundations to support local communities with the necessary funding. Their funders include Microsoft, Accenture, and the LEGO Foundation, among others. ChangeX was established in 2015 and is an international non-profit organization headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with teams based across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia.
The LEGO Foundation’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow, a mission they share with the LEGO Group. They are dedicated to building a future where learning through play empowers children to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners. Their work is about redefining play and reimagining learning. In collaboration with thought leaders, influencers, educators, and parents, the LEGO Foundation aims to equip, inspire, and activate champions for play.
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