The founder’s determination was contagious!
Jen from Three Spires Gaming explains how this gaming community is helping to support children and adults who often feel ‘too much’ or ‘not enough’.
Every Friday night, we open our doors for Dungeons & Dragons, board games, card games, skirmish games – and plenty of laughter.
You don’t need experience, confidence, or even a clue about what a ‘d20’ is. You just need to show up.
We are a welcoming community where people come together to play games, make friends – a difficult undertaking as an adult – and feel like they belong. People come to us because they want these things within a safe space, where they are supported and their mental well-being is paramount. And that’s exactly what we try to offer.
Josh started Three Spires Gaming on his own seven years ago this July. At the time, he’d had to give up work to become a full‑time carer, and his mental health really declined. There were no local gaming groups around, and he desperately needed somewhere to socialise and feel connected again – so he created the space he needed.
Over the years, that little spark has grown into something truly special. For a long time, Josh ran the club almost entirely on his own – not an easy task when dealing with dyslexia, no funding and little support. But at the start of this year, everything changed.
A few dedicated members stepped forward to help get the club’s backstage area in order! Not all of us new – Helen and Chris have been with Josh for a long time. Our teamwork has allowed the club to grow, stabilise and plan for the future.
Josh’s determination, his love of tabletop gaming, and his belief that community and mental well-being matter were contagious!
When my husband, Andrew, approached Josh with the idea of a kids’ Dungeons & Dragons club for the summer holidays last year, Josh was encouraging and suggested that his wife, Ally, would be interested too. The pair took up the roles of Dungeon Masters, while I provided support.
Andrew and Ally’s own experiences mirror those of many of the children they now support. Andrew lives with a physical disability, dyslexia, and dyspraxia, and for much of his life, he has found social spaces to be inhospitable. Andrew helps run the Kids Club with empathy, patience and a wild imagination that the children really value.
Ally, who has become one of my best friends, also lives with disabilities that make everyday life challenging to navigate. Despite this, she pours her energy, creativity and compassion into the club.
Andrew, Alley, Josh and I understand what it means to feel different, to feel overwhelmed, and to need a safe space – and together we bring that understanding to every child who walks through the door.
Three Spires Gaming has created a space where children who often feel ‘too much’ or ‘not enough’ in other settings finally feel just right. For many families, the Kids D&D Club isn’t simply an activity – it’s a lifeline. A place where their children are seen, supported and celebrated.
Parents of neurodivergent children consistently say the same thing: their young people find school overwhelming, social situations difficult to navigate, and often feel isolated from their peers. At Three Spires Gaming, children, young people and adults discover something different – a place where imagination is celebrated, friendships form naturally, and they can be themselves without fear of judgment. The laughter that is heard through the halls of Curborough Community Centre makes the time we spend volunteering more than worth every second.
It does make one consider, had there always been accessible tabletop gaming clubs for children, would so many of the adults we see come through our doors on a Friday night struggle as much as they do? As long as there is a need for Three Spires Gaming and the community we support, we will keep the lights on for them.
Three Spires Gaming isn’t just about games. It’s about people. It’s about giving adults and children a place where they can breathe, laugh and feel part of something.
In a world where loneliness is increasingly common, we’re proud to offer a space that brings people together – one built on kindness, understanding and community.
Three Spires Gaming Community Group has grown into something I never imagined when I first helped with the Kids Club. What started as a small idea to help my husband through a difficult time has become a place I can’t imagine being without.
Three Spires Gaming meets at Curborough Community Centre every Friday, from 7-10pm.