Kettering board game fans' new company to teach skills and well-being through play
Kettering board games fans who turned a hobby into a business have now expanded to form a Community Interest Company (CIC).
Boards of Kettering was founded in 2019 by Dez Dell and Gavin Price, selling modern board games in The Bean Hive (now That Pink Shop) in Kettering High Street.
Since 2021, they have run a monthly board game night at the Johnny’s Happy Place Café, and in 2024, they organised the first Northants Board Game Convention at Kettering Arts Centre.
Dez Dell, Gavin Price, Polly Shackleton, Doug Mayer and Gary Keller have now formed Boards of Kettering into a not-for-profit CIC to use modern board games in educational settings to teach skills and well-being through play.
Programme director, Polly Shackleton has brought her experience of working at a local therapeutic school to the new company, that has been accredited nationally.
She said: “Board games are brilliant for learning skills, and as an Impact Organisation registered with the Skills Builder Partnership, we will be able to apply their nationally recognised framework as a tool to support, progress and measure essential skills development across our programmes.
“The vast array of modern board games available gives us endless opportunities to tailor our provision for those who attend, all whilst having a lot of fun.”
Polly found young people she worked with really responded to using board games as part of the teaching method. She is currently designing the offer to trial at local schools and will be offering a course to the home-education community.
Self-confessed board game fan Gavin Price volunteers at local charity Youth Works Northamptonshire ‘Throne of Games’ board game club for 11-18-year-olds every Wednesday evening. He also has a vast collection of over 350 board games.
Gavin said, “I love board games because they are a great way to socialise in a relaxed environment. They help build skills and bring people together to have fun. For me, board games have been a wonderful way to build friendships. Seeing how much joy it brings to others is the main reason I love them; it’s not about winning but about taking part, and the laughter and happiness they bring is so rewarding.”
Boards of Kettering CIC has already received a generous donation from Autistic Children Enabled to assist with building the education offer and a grant from Mid Counties Co-operative Society.
They have also joined the North Northants Social Enterprise Network (NNSE) to link in with the community sector in the area.
Alison Holland, chair of NNSE, said, “We organised a ‘How to start a CIC workshop’ in September 2024, and Boards of Kettering CIC are one of many new Community Interest Companies to have formed from that course. Others include Love Kettering CIC, Kettering Street Art CIC and Stride and Ride CIC.
“It’s wonderful to see so many local people who care about our community getting organised and making a difference.”
Boards of Kettering sell games at That Pink Shop and have expanded and now stock their games in Northampton’s Vintage Guru and Kitsch Mitch at The Yards.
A new board game café night recently took place in Geddington’s Café Oak and was so successful, it will become a regular event.
Boards of Kettering’s Northants Board Game Convention will be returning in 2025.
Find out more at www.boardsofkettering.com.