Play Wales conference: a playful day of ideas, conversations and inspiration
16 October 2025
Better Place and Better Start Bradford were invited to speak and run workshops at the Play Wales conference in Cardiff on Wednesday 15 October 2025 – and what a day it was!
From the very first keynote, it was clear this conference was all about celebrating the power and importance of play. The morning sessions featured a fantastic mix of speakers — from Welsh Government representatives to psychologists from the United Nations — all sharing their passion for how play shapes learning, wellbeing, and community life.
Adele Adams and Haleema Khathoon of Better Place had the pleasure of presenting to over 50 delegates from near and far — from Wales to Devon, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and even as far away as Australia.
The session got people talking right away and Adele and Haleema kicked off with a fun quiz to spark conversation about outdoor play and its benefits. From there, stories were shared about Better Start Bradford and Better Place, exploring how each began, what has been achieved, and the real impact the projects have on the community.
Adele, Project Lead, Better Place said:
The room was buzzing. People shared their own stories, ideas, and experiences — so much so that we almost ran out of time for our co-design activity. We were thrilled by the response — so many people came to chat afterwards, asking for our resources and talking about how our work could inspire what they do next.
Better Start Bradford’s Charlotte Woodhouse and Sofia Dauraiz delivered a Ready, Set, Play workshop which was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the fantastic work that has taken place through Better Start Bradford.
Sofia, Family and Community Engagement Officer, said:
We spoke about the significant investment made across the three most deprived districts of Bradford and how Better Start Bradford has not only transformed the lives of families and communities but has also had a profound impact on us personally and professionally. We came off script and spoke from the heart about the programme, which made the session feel honest, authentic, and deeply meaningful.
The day wrapped up beautifully with a closing keynote from Play Australia, whose representative shared stories of her adventures travelling the world exploring play policy. She even mentioned that she would love to visit Bradford one day — so fingers crossed!
Overall, attending the Play Wales conference was an inspiring experience. It reinforced the importance of play as a universal right and reminded us of the resilience, creativity, and compassion within the play sector. The teams came away feeling motivated to continue championing opportunities for children and families to thrive through play.
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