Newsletter January 2024 It’s planning time in the gardening calendar, so I’m thinking about what I want to grow. A good friend, knowing that I think well in metaphor, asked me the same recently, about where to focus my professional energy. It’s almost a cliche now, but bears repeating, that we are living in challenging times. What are the conditions we need now, to nurture to yield a good, varied harvest? The conditions of hate, chaos and confusion are very good for growing fear and division, and are designed to yield a monoculture- unlikely to result in an abundant, shared harvest for the many, but rather a high-profit yield for a few. If you’re reading this, you probably already know about the benefits of imagination, creativity and play; how we learn cooperation and empathy through play, and that it can be an equaliser. When people engage in play—whether through sports, role-playing, or rule-based games—hierarchies are dissolved— or made explicit— creating space for genuine, human-to-human connection and critical reflection about power. Many wise people (Peter Gray, Gregory Bateson, Johan Huizinga and many others), and indeed, our own experiences at Play:Disrupt, show us that play is an essential part of of good physical and mental health and that undertaking creative activity helps build empathy, resilience and the capacity to manage complexity. So I was heartened to see that Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, has just announced a healthy investment in the arts and creative industries. This comes like rain after drought for a sector that plays a big role in keeping the country’s imagination and creativity sufficiently cultivated. Also this month, progress was made in defending children’s rights to sufficient opportunities for play across England. MPs and advocates at a recent cross-party debate in Westminster highlighted the importance of play in children’s development, calling for Play Sufficiency legislation and a new National Play Strategy. Minister Alex Norris agreed to further discussions with Eugene Minogue at Play England, whose 2024 Manifesto provides an excellent basis for guiding policy in this matter. At Play:Disrupt, we are happy to be working alongside many other organisations whose business is to nurture the conditions for thriving communities, places and services, with play, imagination and creativity at their core. We believe that participation and diversity are key to this effort, and will continue to cultivate these, whatever the weather. | 
