Building Skills and Belonging at Darwin Green
Over the past two months, something steady and encouraging has been taking shape at the Darwin Green Community Room. Every Saturday from 2–4pm, families have been gathering for LEGO Club and Board Games & Learning – structured, welcoming sessions designed to bring children and parents together through creative play and conversation.
The taster sessions have been supported through Enabler funding from Cambridge City Council, helping make consistent community use of the space possible.
Growing attendance and returning families
Across seven active sessions so far (with one half-term break), there have been 91 child attendances, with an average of 13 children each week, ranging between 10 and 16. Parent participation has remained strong, with many choosing to stay, observe and connect rather than simply drop off. A core group of returning families is now emerging, alongside new participants joining through word of mouth.
Elenasy CIC sessions review, on YouTube
Creative play and skills development
Children have been designing engineering builds, solving collaborative challenges and developing strategy skills through board games that encourage teamwork, logic and resilience. We’re seeing increasing confidence in how they explain their thinking, defend ideas and work across age groups.
Online safety conversations
Alongside the creative play, practical and age-appropriate conversations around online safety and responsible device use have been woven into the sessions. Parents have valued having space to ask questions and exchange experiences around digital boundaries, supervision and supporting children online. The programme also marked Safer Internet Day with a focused discussion centred on digital confidence within families.
Light refreshments are shared during the sessions, creating a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere where conversations can continue beyond the activities.
More than just activities
For many residents, the sessions are becoming more than just activities. In a growing development where families are still settling in, they are offering a regular point of connection. Parents have shared that they feel less isolated, have met neighbours for the first time and appreciate having a safe, structured environment for their children.
Elenasy CIC review, on YouTube
Coming next
The sessions are delivered by Faith Oyepeju, founder of Elenasy CIC, a Cambridge-based community interest company focused on digital confidence, inclusion and play-based learning for families.
Looking ahead, this taster phase is also laying the groundwork for future projects, including a community Coding Club in collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s Code Club programme, aimed at introducing children to structured digital creation in a supportive, local setting.
The LEGO Club will continue running every Saturday until the end of March, followed by Board Games & Learning from 3–4pm.
To find out more about Elenasy CIC, visit their website or follow the organisation on social media: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn.