More Than Just a Play Café

Our Community Impact at The Village

At The Village Play Café, we believe that raising a family takes a village, and we're proud to be building one right here in the heart of Crosby.

We opened The Village with a simple vision: to create a welcoming, inclusive and accessible space where children can play, parents can connect and our wider community can thrive.

While we operate as a play café, our purpose extends far beyond serving coffee and providing somewhere for little ones to play. We are committed to making a meaningful difference in our local community through inclusion, employment opportunities, partnerships and community-led activities.

Supporting Parents and Tackling Social Isolation

Becoming a parent can be an isolating experience, particularly for new mums and families without an established support network.

Our dedicated baby-friendly sessions provide a relaxed and welcoming environment where parents can meet others, build friendships and feel part of their local community.

We also welcome local parenting groups and community organisations to use our facilities, helping to create connections between families across Crosby and the surrounding areas.

Our aim is to make The Village somewhere parents feel comfortable visiting, whether they're meeting friends or simply looking for a friendly face and a conversation.

Creating Opportunities for People with Additional Needs

Inclusion is central to everything we do.

Since opening, we have worked with Sefton's Trailblazer programme to provide employment and training opportunities for young people who may face additional barriers to entering the workplace.

We also support volunteering and workplace learning opportunities for adults with learning disabilities, providing a supportive environment where individuals can develop confidence, practical skills and valuable experience.

Our ambition is to continue developing The Village as a place where people of different abilities can learn, contribute and feel valued.

We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to be part of their community.

Giving Back to Crosby

We are proud to support local community initiatives beyond the walls of our café.

In August 2026, we attended Coronation Park's Family Fun Day, providing complimentary character entertainment to help support the event and its fundraising activities.

We hope to continue working alongside the park and other local organisations, contributing our time, resources and entertainment services wherever possible.

We believe local businesses have an important role to play in supporting the communities around them.

Working with Local Organisations

Building relationships with other organisations is an important part of our community mission.

We welcome local groups, small businesses and family-focused organisations to use The Village as a meeting place and a space to deliver activities.

By collaborating rather than working in isolation, we hope to create more opportunities for families and strengthen the local community network.

Making Play Accessible to Every Family

We recognise that the cost of children's activities can be a barrier for families experiencing financial hardship.

One of our longer-term ambitions is to introduce FIND Your Village, a programme of subsidised play sessions during school holidays for single-parent households and families facing financial disadvantage.

Our proposed sessions would combine opportunities for play and social connection with a free healthy meal for participating children.

We are exploring funding and partnership opportunities to help make this initiative possible.

We have also sought funding to develop inclusive SEND-focused events, helping families who may struggle to access traditional children's activities.

Our goal is simple: every child deserves somewhere safe, welcoming and enjoyable to play, regardless of their family's circumstances.

Bringing Our Community Together

Throughout the year, we aim to provide opportunities for local families to make memories together.

From seasonal celebrations and inclusive activities to our planned My First Grotto Christmas experience, we want to create events that bring people into Crosby Village and encourage families to spend time in their local community.

These activities also help support the wider village economy by attracting visitors to the area.

A Business with a Community Purpose

The Village Play Café Ltd is established as a company limited by guarantee, reflecting our commitment to operating with a community-focused purpose.

Our business model allows us to generate income through our café, play sessions and events while developing activities that provide wider social value.

We are still a young organisation, but our commitment to the community has been part of our vision from the beginning.

As we grow, we hope to expand our partnerships, introduce more subsidised activities, create additional training opportunities and continue supporting families across Sefton.

Help Us Build Our Village

We are always keen to hear from local charities, schools, community groups, support organisations and businesses interested in working together.

Whether you're looking for a welcoming space, exploring a partnership or have an idea that could benefit local families, we'd love to hear from you.

Because at The Village, we believe it really does take a village.

Coffee. Play. Parties. Community.