The Work That Roll The Dice Cornwall C.I.C. Is Doing

How a Helston gaming space became a community lifeline — and why every dice roll matters.

We Have a Shop. We Are Not a Shop.

If you've wandered past 8 Coinagehall Street in Helston, you might have noticed the shelves of Warhammer boxes, the glow of trading card displays, and the sound of dice hitting tables. It looks like a games shop. It smells like a games shop. But Roll The Dice Cornwall C.I.C. is something else entirely.

We're a non-profit Community Interest Company. That means every penny of profit goes back into the community — funding free children's clubs, therapeutic gaming programmes, school sessions, and inclusive events that make Cornwall a better place to grow up in. We sell games below RRP not to undercut competitors, but to remove barriers. We want gaming to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income or background.

Founded by friends Matt and Dave out of a shared love of Warhammer 40,000, what started as a free children's gaming group at Breaney Chapel has grown into a vibrant community hub welcoming over 100 children and young people through its doors — plus hundreds of adults who've found their people here too.

What We Actually Do

It's hard to fit it all into one list, but here's the shape of it:

• Free weekly children's gaming club — Small groups, all materials provided, running during term time for ages 6–14. It's not just playing games; it's building confidence, communication, and social skills in a safe, judgment-free space.

• Therapeutic gaming programmes — Using Critical Core, a research-backed structured RPG developed by the Game to Grow charity, our trained practitioners run sessions focused on social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) skills: emotional regulation, empathy, teamwork, problem-solving, resilience, and executive functioning.

• School programmes across Cornwall — In 2025–2026, we worked with 19 schools, delivering one-hour sessions to small groups of 4–6 participants. We travel to schools across the county, bringing everything needed with us.

• Ladies+ Night — A safe, welcoming space for female and femme-presenting participants to enjoy D&D, board games, card games, and model painting without feeling like they don't belong.

• South West Cornwall Games Expo — Our flagship community event. In 2024, 350 people and 17 vendors showed up. For 2026, we're planning a larger two-day event with 45 vendors, in partnership with South Kerrier Alliance.

• Retail that funds it all — Every booster pack, every Warhammer box, every board game sold below RRP directly funds the community work above.

Why It Matters

Cornwall has its share of challenges — rural isolation, stretched services, long waiting lists for SEN and mental health support. Many of the young people who come to us have ADHD, autism (diagnosed or awaiting assessment), anxiety, or are struggling with mainstream education. Some have Education, Health and Care Plans. Others just need a place where they're accepted as they are.

We see the difference every week. Children who wouldn't speak in class start narrating epic battle stories. Young people who struggle with friendships learn to collaborate around a table. Adults who felt isolated find a community that gets them.

One parent told us their child had gone from refusing to leave the house to counting down the days until the next session. That's not a side effect of gaming — that's the point.

Volunteer-Run, Community-Powered

Everything we do is powered by volunteers. Our team includes Dave (Lead Practitioner), Dan (Store and Event Manager), Robert (Assistant Store Manager), Ash (Game Lead), Hannah (Ladies+ Night Lead and Technical Director), Luke (Warhammer 40k Tournament Lead), and Josh — all DBS-checked, all trained in safeguarding, all giving their time because they believe in what this place does.

We're not going to pretend it's easy. Recruiting committed volunteers is hard. Travel costs to rural schools add up. School budgets are tight. But we keep showing up because the community keeps showing up — 300 to 400 people walk through our doors each week, and that tells us this matters.

What's Next

Over the next 12 months, we're aiming to:

• Expand our school programme to reach more children across Cornwall

• Grow our online shop so people can support us from anywhere

• Hire two retail apprentices through grant funding, creating a Volunteer to Apprenticeship pathway

• Develop the 2026 Expo into a flagship two-day celebration of inclusive gaming

We're actively applying for grants (£5,000–£50,000) to fund this growth — because relying on retail alone isn't enough to meet the demand we're seeing.

Come and See for Yourself

You don't need to know anything about Warhammer. You don't need a diagnosis or a referral. You just need to walk through the door.

📍 8 Coinagehall Street, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 8EB🕐 Open Monday–Saturday 10am–10pm, Sunday 10am–4pm 🌐 rollthedicecornwall.com

Whether you're a parent looking for something positive for your child, a school wanting to explore therapeutic gaming, an adult who misses rolling dice with friends, or someone who just wants to buy a board game from a shop that does something meaningful with the money — you're welcome here.

Every purchase funds free community programmes. Every session builds something lasting. Every dice roll matters.

Roll The Dice Cornwall C.I.C. — we have a shop, but we are not a shop. We're a community.