Gillian and Ruth will be travelling to Târgu Mureș, Transylvania, on Thursday 21st September to help deliver play sessions and resources for the Roma children of Valea Rece. This will be an amazing opportunity to foster links with the international playwork community and, more importantly, an opportunity to make a huge difference to the lives of some of the most materially deprived children in the world.

Gillian and Ruth will be in Transylvania for seven days, using resources from Bright Beginnings to deliver a variety of play activities in the children’s home village and their small school in the beautiful farming village of Ormenis in the Carpathian Mountains. They will also be assisting village volunteers in Gino’s Cantina, providing hot meals to the local children.

It is our hope that through this first visit to Valea Rece, we will be able to form an enduring relationship with the children and volunteers there, sending sorely needed resources – both play resources and essentials such as clothes for the cold weather – and perhaps visiting them again in the future. We also plan to set up a donation box for any resources that are families are able to spare.

If you are interested in learning more about Ruth and Gill’s trip to Târgu Mureș, please feel free to contact Gill or Ruth. Ruth is also planning on recording her experiences in a blog while she is in Târgu Mureș which we will share with you all. Ruth and Gill will also be making a display in reception upon their return, and running an information session at this year’s Christmas Craft Day on Saturday 9th December.