Learning 'made fun' at library of 1,000 board games

The walls of Character Creation are filled from floor to ceiling

A library of more than 1,000 board games has been set up to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).

The walls of Character Creation in Plymouth are covered from floor to ceiling with popular titles, offering people a "safe space in which to be themselves".

Based in Stoke, the project aimed to be a fun way of picking up new skills, with maths, problem solving and communication all on the agenda, organisers said.

"It's about the experience of meeting new people and bonding, plus you learn new things all the time," said one young library user.

Having started out as a meet-up for home-schooled fans of the fantasy favourite Dungeons and Dragons, the facility has expanded.

Character Creation's founder and director Chris Nicholls said it was funded by money it made from hiring out its extensive game collection and holding events for both adults and children, along with government grants.

The library is a place where children can be themselves

Mr Nicholls described the games library as accessible and inclusive, as well as a place where entertainment and education go hand in hand.

"Say you're doing a project on the Romans, we've got lots of things that can help you with that," he said.

"We have games that the Romans themselves would have actually played or role-playing games that help you learn what life would have been like back in those times."

Mr Nicholls said youngsters were not subjected to any of the usual peer pressures when they were at Character Creations.

"As children, games like these are considered to be 'play', but when we mature we're told we have to put all that behind us," he said.

"As adults, playing games is somehow unacceptable, but I think we're helping to break down that barrier."

Lula Askew, visits the library with her son and also volunteers there. She said it appealed to all ages.

She said: "When I started out I couldn't help but get a little bit involved, but now I'm very deeply involved in doing whatever I can," she said.