Our history

Founded in 1974 as a modest community initiative at the West Paddock Youth Centre, the Leyland Playscheme has grown into the largest holiday playscheme of its kind in the United Kingdom. Today, the 100% volunteer-led charity operates across two thriving regional sites, welcoming over 1,150 children a week while preserving the exact same commitment to affordable, community-driven fun established over fifty years ago.

1974: how it started

Our story began in 1974 with one man, a big heart and a simple mission. Local youth worker Jim Green saw a need for affordable, safe and genuinely exciting activities for local children during the long summer holidays. Initially operating from the Leyland Youth Centre on West Paddock, Jim’s energy and passion quickly earned him a reputation across South Ribble as the "Pied Piper of Leyland." Alongside his partner, Rita Woods, who managed the complex logistics and administration for decades, Jim turned a small local initiative into a community phenomenon that still exists to this day.

Growing with Leyland: From Worden Park to Centurion Way

As word spread, the playscheme exploded in popularity. To accommodate the thousands of children eager to join the fun, the operation moved to the grounds of Worden Park and became a staple of Leyland summers. In 2001, when the scheme had to find a new home, the community rallied behind us. After a brief stay at Cuerden Hall, we found our feet at the former BTR club cricket field on Centurion Way. In a wonderful full-circle moment, the land was secured with the help of local property developer Paul Rowley, who had actually attended the playscheme himself as a child.

Carrying the Torch: The Jim Green Legacy

On New Year’s Day in 2005, our community lost Jim Green. While he is deeply missed, the fire he lit in 1974 burns as brightly as ever. Today, we honour his memory through The Jim Green Award, which is presented each year to an outstanding young leader who embodies Jim’s spirit of selflessness, fun and community service. From a handful of children in a youth club to the largest holiday playscheme of its kind in the UK, our roots remain exactly the same. We are run by the community, for the community.

Growing the Family: The Birth of Samlesbury Mega-Fun (2000)

By the turn of the millennium, the demand for our unique brand of summer magic had grown too big for just one town. In 2000, we officially launched a sister site to expand our reach across the region: the Samlesbury Playscheme. Operating out of The Canberra Club at BAE Systems, this spin-off scheme adopted the exact same values, energy and community focus as the original Leyland scheme. Together, the two schemes transformed into a massive double-act, allowing us to welcome hundreds more children every summer and offering double the opportunities for young people to step up into leadership roles.

Our Modern Structure: Becoming a CIO

For many decades, we operated under our original charity registration as the Leyland Play Association. However, as the scale of our operations grew and childcare regulations evolved, we needed a modern structure to secure the playscheme for future generations. In August 2018, we took a major step forward by officially registering as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) under the name Leyland Playscheme (Charity Number 1179704). This modern structure brings several important benefits to our community:

• The Association Model: We operate as an "Association" CIO, meaning our charity is backed by a dedicated membership body that votes on major decisions and helps steer our direction.
• A Volunteer Trustee Board: We are governed by a passionate team of local trustees who oversee our compliance, safety and long-term strategy.
• Protection for the Future: This structure ensures that the charity itself can enter into modern partnerships, manage funding and protect our volunteer leaders, all while staying 100% true to Jim Green's original 1974 vision.

The scheme today

Leyland Playscheme has grown into the largest holiday playscheme of its kind in the UK. Over the course of the summer, we welcome over 1,150 children each week to our main site at Centurion Way in Farington. Meanwhile, our thriving sister site at Samlesbury ensures that hundreds more families across the region can experience the same summer magic. Bringing an event of this magnitude to life requires an incredible community effort. Every single year, a team of more than 250 dedicated volunteers aged 15 to over 70 give up their time to run the scheme. From coordinating day trips to leading arts, crafts and sports, our team puts in over 60 hours of work a week to give local children a summer they will never forget. While our scale has changed dramatically since Jim Green welcomed that first small group of children in 1974, what happens on site has stayed exactly the same.

• 100% Volunteer-Led: We remain entirely volunteer-run, with every leader giving their time for the pure joy of supporting the community.
• Kept Within Reach: Our registration fees are heavily subsidised through fundraising and the generosity of local businesses, ensuring that the scheme stays affordable and accessible for every single family.
• The Pure Spirit of Play: Just as it was over fifty years ago, the heart of the scheme is about giving children a safe, vibrant space to build friendships, explore the outdoors and simply enjoy the freedom of summer.