A-Z of Services

WCBC Play Development Team

The right to play is a child’s first claim on their community. The Play Development Team supports communities to ensure that this claim is valued and upheld for all children and young people across Wrexham by:

Increasing public recognition of children’s right to play and its critical importance to their healthy development
Ensuring play is integral in the strategic planning of services for children and young people
Giving children, young people and their communities the opportunity to participate in the creation and development of play opportunities
Supporting local communities to develop and sustain quality inclusive open access play provision
Supporting the development of Playwork as a profession

The Play Development Team is based within the Prevention and Inclusion department of Children and Young People’s services. The team facilitates the Play Network and the Strategic Play Forum and is represented on NEW Play (North East Wales Play Forum).

The Play Development Team includes experienced Playworkers who are all passionate advocates for children’s right to play. If you have any questions or concerns about children’s play opportunities in Wrexham or would like to find out more about how you could support children’s play in your community please contact the team.

Meet the Team

Helen Edwards – Manager of Play

Helen began working for Wrexham County Borough Council in May 1996 as a qualified Social Worker within the Social Services Department. In April 2002, Helen became the Area Child Protection Committee Training and Development Officer providing child protection training to organisations working with children and young people across Wrexham. Helen gained the post of Development Officer for Integrated Children’s Networks in December 2005 co-ordinating services to children and young people and families across the Communities First areas, which included Caia Park, Brynteg, and Plas Madoc. These services included Early Education, Childcare, and Play during which time Helen became responsible for Play Provision across Wrexham. Helen is currently employed as a Co-ordinator for Team Around the Child/Client, Integrated Children’s Networks and Manager of Play for Wrexham County Borough Council.

Mike Barclay – Play Development Co-ordinator

Mike began working as a Playworker in an after school club in Leamington Spa back in 1997. Since then Mike has worked in a wide variety of play settings including holiday playschemes, open access play settings and projects supporting disabled children’s play. Mike worked as a Playworker in Sheffield, Doncaster and the Wirral before becoming Wrexham’s Play Development Co-ordinator in 2007.

Mel Davies – Play Development Worker

Mel began working as a playworker in The Venture in 2001 and from there went to work at Gwenfro Valley Adventure Playground, where she still helps out every now and again when they are short staffed. Mel is also a qualified Youth worker and has worked in several youth clubs across Wrexham. Mel started work with the Play Development team in January 2008 and is a qualified trainer and assessor for the P3 (Playwork Principles into Practice) qualifications.

Rich Driffield – Play Development Worker

Rich has a BA (Hons) Degree in Sports Development and has various experience of working with children and young people in a number of different settings. This has included working for two summers as a Senior Playworker for Flintshire County Council. Rich also travelled to Uganda in September 2007 to run play and sports sessions for ex child soldiers. Rich started work with the Play Development team in July 2008 and is a qualified assessor for the P3 (Playwork Principles into Practice) qualifications.

Theresa Burling – Play Development Worker

Theresa graduated with an art degree and worked as an Adult Education Officer before beginning Playwork at The Venture in 1989. She has taken a couple of brief breaks over the years where she taught art for Yale College and Northop College of Horticulture and ran children’s summer art schools and children’s art clubs for various County Councils. Theresa returned to playwork to stay in 2003 and began studying the Play and Playwork Degree at Glyndwr University in 2008. She recently worked at Gwenfro Valley Adventure playground and started working part-time with the Play Development Team in October 2010.

Jonny Neen – Playscheme and Inclusion Co-Ordinator

Jonny began working as a playworker in 2001 for Flintshire County Council, he later went on to supervise Flintshire’s playschemes and lead on their inclusion projects. Jonny has a range of experience working with children and young people; he is a qualified teacher and worked for several years at a Summer Camp in America. Jonny is responsible for managing the teams open access playwork projects and inclusion projects.

Katy Jones – Administrative Assistant

Katy began working with Wrexham Council in September 2004 as a modern apprentice within the Social Services Department. In June 2005 Katy gained a permanent post within the training Department and then went on to work in the Human Resources department before gaining a post within the Play Development team in March 2008. Katy currently provides communication and administration support to the Play Development Team.