Play Included calls on Cambridge businesses to help fund therapeutic Brick Clubs in local schools

Launch of new sponsorship packages follows successful pilot with Stobbs and three local schools

Play Included®, the Duxford-based social enterprise specialising in inclusive play-based therapeutic activities for children and adults, is calling on Cambridge businesses to support the expansion of its Brick Clubs programme in local schools.

The business has launched a series of sponsorship options for local companies to consider in the new financial year - following the successful delivery of three Brick Clubs in 2025 that were sponsored by Stobbs, the intellectual property law firm based at Cambridge Research Park. The news was announced during International Play Therapy Week (1-7 February).

 As part of its Brick-by-Brick® Programme, Play Included works closely with schools to deliver Brick Clubs that can help children with a wide range of needs, including autism, ADHD, anxiety, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health challenges.

Structured around an evidence-based approach, the Brick Clubs are designed to help children develop confidence and communication skills and engage in meaningful social opportunities through structured LEGO® play. In a safe, enjoyable space, children can explore collaborative brick building techniques and practise essential life skills such as turn-taking, problem-solving and teamwork – which supports the development of friendships and emotion regulation.

 In 2025, Stobbs (a global brand-focused law firm with its HQ in Cambridge) funded Play Included Brick Clubs at Bottisham Primary School, Orchard Park Primary School, and The Grove Primary School, with Play Included collaborating with local charity Red Hen on the latter two schools. In total, the Stobbs-funded clubs helped 24 children access additional support. Now, Play Included is inviting local companies to help fund trained facilitators, equipment, and programme delivery in more local schools - contributing to improved wellbeing and inclusion outcomes for children.

 Explaining more, Gina Gomez de la Cuesta, a world-renowned expert on LEGO® therapy and the founder of Play Included, said: “SEN is in the spotlight like never before. Since 2016, the number of children receiving all types of special needs support has risen. Around one in five children (18.4%) in England now have some kind of special educational need. The Government is doing what it can to support these children – but additional resources are required in schools where funding constraints often limit access to programmes that can make a significant difference. Brick Clubs give children a chance to connect, communicate and succeed in ways that feel fun, natural and motivating. We see every week how powerful inclusive play can be. By partnering with local businesses and rolling out more Brick Clubs across Cambridge, we can give children with additional needs access to supportive, therapeutic spaces where they can thrive.”

 Chris Murray, Marketing Chief at Stobbs said: “As a business, we care deeply about inclusion generally, and neurodiversity specifically. Many of our team members recognise themselves as neurodivergent or have neurodivergent children, and we have an internal community that meets regularly to share experiences and support. When the opportunity to sponsor Brick Clubs came up, we jumped at the chance. We love the idea of using LEGO® to help children step away from screens, build confidence, and connect with others through play — especially those who may feel on the edges of social groups. We’ve been truly inspired by Gina’s passion and expertise, and partnering with Play Included has been incredibly rewarding. Seeing the impact of the clubs firsthand has been fantastic. We’re proud to be sponsoring more schools this year and wholeheartedly encourage other businesses to get involved and help fund more Brick Clubs locally.”

 Kathryn Hardy, Deputy Head / SENCo at The Grove Primary School said: “Through Brick Club training and the resources provided, Play Included and Stobbs have enabled more of our children to access an exciting and inclusive intervention which has improved their social communication skills and had a positive impact on their wellbeing.”

 Kate Kelly, SENDCo at Bottisham Community Primary School and Orchard Park Community Primary School, said: "The support from Play Included was amazing. We had already identified the need for a social communication intervention in our school, but a Brick Club would have been much harder to introduce without the support of Play Included and Stobbs." 

 A variety of sponsorship packages are available for funding Brick Clubs in local schools. These cover training school staff to become Brick-by-Brick programme facilitators, purchasing resources, and programme delivery. If you are a local business interested in sponsoring a Brick Club, please contact: [email protected] or go to: https://playincluded.com/for-professionals/corporate-sponsorship

If you are a school Special Education Coordinator (SENCo) interested in finding out more about Play Included, please email: [email protected]

Alternatively, go to: https://playincluded.com for more information.

About Play Included

Play Included® is a registered Community Interest Company specialising in evidence-based, play-led programmes that support children’s social and emotional development through the use of LEGO® bricks.  The organisation was founded by Gina Gomez de la Cuesta, a psychologist, author, and internationally recognised pioneer of play-based social development, whose work has helped shape best practice in the field. Play Included developed the Brick-by-Brick® programme to help children build vital social and emotional skills through structured, collaborative play. Now a world leader in brick therapy training for professionals across education, health and care, Play Included is driving meaningful and lasting improvements in children’s wellbeing. Brick-by-Brick® is supported by The LEGO® Foundation and has been recognised as one of the world’s most impactful and scalable innovations in education, featuring in the HundrED 2023 Global Collection.