Play Reimagined with Jules Gilleland. JULES GILLELAND BRINGS HER AWARD-WINNING ‘THINK WITH THINGS’ METHOD TO WILTSHIRE.
For more than two decades, Jules Gilleland has been transforming the way teams and classrooms approach creativity and problem-solving. And winning international recognition along the way.
After 24 years working in Brussels, Belgium, Jules is bringing her Think With Things methodology to Wiltshire. And with a permanent base at Bothy Gardens, Chiseldon.
Play Reimagined with Jules Gilleland – Jules herself
Putting down roots
‘It feels incredible to plant roots here in Wiltshire,’ says Jules. Bothy Gardens will be the heart of this work. It’s a place where we can explore creativity, build connections and use play to solve real challenges.’
Jules developed the ‘Think With Things’ method after winning the prestigious Open Education Challenge in 2014. But her idea originated some years before.
The Open Education Challenge launched that year, in partnership with the European Commission. It’s an invitation for innovators to submit projects and receive technical support through the European Incubator for Innovation In Education and access funding. Jules and a friend won the challenge along with six others.
Over the following years, Jules has worked with:
The European Commission
Other European institutions
Leading organizations
Museums and educational bodies. All helping them tackle complex challenges through play and hands-on problem-solving.
A simple concept
The concept is simple but powerful. Using everyday objects like small toys, pinecones, buttons, etc., individuals and teams are encouraged to model their ideas, visualize problems, and spark solutions. This enables them to think in a different way while connecting with one another.
‘Play is universal,’ Jules explains. ‘As children, it’s second nature to us, but somewhere along the way, we stop. I’ve discovered that bringing play back into our lives sparks creativity. It also unlocks new ways of thinking and problem-solving.’
Jules is building a dynamic hub for education, business workshops, and creative retreats at Bothy Gardens. All grounded in the Think With Things method.
The ‘real’ space won’t have its official opening until autumn 2025. Meanwhile Jules is currently offering bespoke virtual workshops for businesses and educators to reconnect through hands-on problem-solving and creativity.
‘Bothy Gardens will be a place where creativity thrives,’ says Jules. ‘Whether you’re a teacher looking to re-engage your students or a business leader seeking fresh ideas, we want to create the perfect space to become inspired.’
To support her methodology, Jules has created the THINGS LAB app as a way to share her experience and knowledge remotely.
Jules designed the app to inspire and support people worldwide, making creativity accessible to everyone, everywhere.
It offers playful tools and programmes to unlock creativity. They include free games, resources, and access to workshops like the Education Founders Lab.
‘It’s about using what you already have to create something extraordinary,’ Jules explains. ‘My method makes creativity accessible to everyone, everywhere.’
Starting February 17, 2025, the six-week virtual Education Founders Lab in the app will teach educators how to transform disengaged lessons into creative, object-based experiences.
I’m delighted to announce that I’m making good progress with turning my Swindon in 50 More Buildings blog series into a book. It’s been a long haul but I’m getting there now.
The reason why I mention that here is because the Bothy Gardens – well the bothy itself to be precise – is one of the fifty. I’m pleased to say.
The Kelly Foundation Swindon – a wonderful entity that, for whatever reason, I’ve not got around to doing a blog post about. My bad. But a newsletter from them plopped into my inbox the other day and that’s prompted me. So what follows is the newsletter from the founder and chair, John Stooke, edited a bit for SEO – it serves to give you a flavour of what the Kelly Foundation is all about.
The Kelly Foundation Swindon
We (the Kelly Foundation) provide a completely free, self-referral support service for clients. We also accept referrals from community health nurses and other professionals.
Further, we offer face-to-face counselling and support over the normal working day five days per week. And we also undertake what we describe as a holistic service. It’s our belief that this is unique in the Swindon landscape. The charity doesn’t only support individuals with poor mental health, depression and anxiety in one-to-one sessions. We go further in seeking to uncover the causes of the stresses that contribute to the client’s poor health. And then together try to make things better. We become actively involved in seeking to support clients unravel these causes.
How illness arises
Illness can arise from such things as:
Severe and prolonged debt
Financial pressure
Marital or relationship breakdown
Loss of job
Substance or alcohol abuse
Traumatic events or quite often, previous life experiences.
Our work
We often become involved with the local housing department and associations to try and mitigate housing issues. Our involvement can also mean hiring in specific skills and techniques not in the charity.
Our work involves helping clients find the right benefits, joint visits to universal credit, or to GPs, and liaison with drug and alcohol specialists. We help some clients back into mainstream work with supported employment. And even speak up for clients in court where they cannot afford solicitors or get legal aid. Whatever it takes, the Kelly Foundation will do its best.
The charity continues on a path of steady growth and development. But we remain ambitious to embed ourselves in the local mental health landscape for the long-term. This will need a significant step up in funding and development in the organisation to broaden responsibility and increased resources. Unlike S & G Mind, we receive no statutory funding whatsoever. And, despite the government recently pledging £millions in new money to tackle the epidemic of poor mental health, it’s not at all clear how to bid for, or access, any of this funding.
New initiative
We do have a new initiative we are developing which will need collaborative support from across the community. And we have a number of meetings planned to introduce the concept to bodies. These we hope, will feel enthused to come on board.
I’m also very keen to put in place a development plan for Kell’s Kitchen. The café plays a significant role now in the community. It’s a warm meeting space, somewhere customers can find good basic food and drink at sensible prices. And it’s an opportunity to outreach our services. But there’s so much more potential.
I’m convinced it can do more good across the whole town. And there’s no reason why it should not be replicated in other areas.
It will continue to help more individuals either in recovery or with a degree of learning difficulty, to develop confidence and self-esteem. And, at the same time, learn new valuable skills. We’re talking to a few people at the moment about a café development coordinator. I’ve invited Debbie Raikesmay, who has a lot of experience in this area, to help us with this task.
I continue to be very proud of what the charity is achieving. We couldn’t do any of this without you, our donors, supporters, colleagues and especially our volunteers, who work so hard to make the charity the success it is today. My sincere thanks to you all.
Everyone at the Kelly Foundation has been touched by the tragedy of suicide. Each case represents an extreme consequence of poor mental health.
We seek to support local people with mental health issues by listening and observing in order to understand and then to provide a bespoke support programme. This will tend to include regular one-to-one sessions with our dedicated team, which includes support workers, clinical psychologist, life coach and mentors. We will be on hand to help lead down an individual pathway to a healthier life.
The Kelly Foundation Swindon – Dave Southby trustee
I’m Dave Southby, and I’m honoured to be asked to join the Trustee board at The Kelly Foundation in 2025.
I first became aware of The Kelly Foundation through their support of a friend. So I’ve seen first-hand the positive effect this charity has on the lives of its service users and their families.
Anyone can become affected by their mental health. So it’s important to understand the signs and where to go to get support. In my day job I am the founder & Director of a local Financial Planning business. I want to use my experience in business to help grow the charity and connect them with more local businesses.’
Dave is a trained mental health first aider and he often works with anxious clients who are experiencing financial stress. And that in turn has a negative effect on their mental wellbeing.
Pursuit Agency Launches Podcast. Rob Curtis, founder of Swindon-based digital marketing firm The Pursuit Agency, has launched his new podcast, Marketing Unzipped.
It’s aimed at educating and inspiring:
Business owners
Marketers and…
… anyone eager to understand the world of digital marketing.
The podcast is set to break down the often overwhelming strategies into practical, actionable insights that deliver real results.
The first episode, ‘Start 2025 the Right Way! Defining Clear Goals for Your Digital Marketing Campaigns’, has now launched and sets the tone for the podcast. In it, Rob discusses the importance of goal-setting as the foundation for every successful marketing campaign. That makes it a perfect listen for anyone planning their January strategy.
Pursuit Agency Launches Podcast – Rob Curtis
Reflections
Reflecting on his career, Rob said: ‘I’ve been in this space for more than a decade. And marketing is a wild ride. Some campaigns have skyrocketed beyond expectation while others still make me sweat to this day.
‘Marketing doesn’t have to be perfect. But it has to work And that’s what I want people to take from Marketing Unzipped. Listeners can expect episodes that break down digital marketing, helping them zip it back together in a way that works for them.’
Some episodes will feature Rob offering honest insights, actionable strategies, and lessons learned from years of trial and error. Other episodes will feature guests. They’ll be business owners, marketers, and thought leaders from various industries . They’ll share their successes, failures and the hard-won lessons that have shaped their marketing journeys.
‘I want listeners to walk away from every episode with actionable advice and fresh ideas. And the confidence to try something new in their business,’ Rob said.
Where it happens
Rob records the podcast in his state-of-the-art studio, based in South Marston, which he also makes available to hire. He’s designed the studio for for anyone looking to create professional, standout content. It features:
A fully equipped studio
Also a podcasting suite optimized for crisp, clear audio
and pro-grade cameras, microphones, lighting, and soundproofing.
Rob’s team provides on-site support to ensure every session runs well. Thus making it the perfect venue for business owners, content creators, and teams working on creative projects.
The Pursuit Agency helps businesses to become visible using a range of digital marketing tactics including SEO, pay per click and content marketing. To date clients include:
Helen Browning’s Organic
Avrion
Filestream
WeAnswer
Milroys
Aegina and more.
Where to find it
Marketing Unzipped is available on Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, and The Pursuit Agency website.
Rob releases new episodes every Thursday. It offers listeners a mix of relatable, jargon-free marketing insights and inspiring stories from the trenches.
Rodbourne Cheney Holiday Club, Just for Fun, is all set to deliver an exciting February half-term programme at Rodbourne Cheney Primary School.
Designed for children aged 4 – 14, the club promises a jam-packed schedule. It features team games, quizzes, movie days, camp competitions, and the much-anticipated return of smoothie making. That one was a huge hit during the summer.
Rodbourne Cheney Holiday Club – Sean Harper
Inclusive environment
Sean, co-owner and founder of Just For Fun Holiday Club, explained the club’s inclusive approach. ‘When we started JFF, we wanted to ensure every child could enjoy new games and activities while feeling completely included.
At Rodbourne Cheney, we group children by age so we can tailor activities to suit them. Plus, we’ve got assistants on hand to provide extra support for kids who need a little help joining in.’
Unlike some of the busier venues, Rodbourne Cheney offers a quieter setting in North Swindon, making it an ideal choice for children who prefer a more relaxed environment. ‘Rodbourne is one of our smaller venues, which suits kids who may not enjoy lots of noise or large groups,’ Sean added.
Even so, the team has packed the February half-term programme with fun and opportunities for children to make new friends and stay active. Sean shared his hopes for the week: ‘I want kids to leave feeling like they’ve made friends, had fun, stayed active over the break and feel excited to return.’
Rodbourne Cheney Holiday Club – a group of children at one of the clubs
Looking to the future
Looking ahead, Sean revealed exciting plans for the club’s future. They include a possible new venue in 2025 and a summer programme featuring a dinosaur experience across all locations. ‘We’re always looking for ways to improve and bring something new to the clubs,’ Sean said.
The Rodbourne Cheney half-term club runs daily from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, with flexible booking options available for families.
Financial Team’s Ambitious Fundraising Plans. The team at Wiltshire-based financial advisers Dave Southby Financial Planning have adopted an ambitious 2025 fundraising plan to for four local charities.
Last year (2024) the team raised £5,800 for the Kelly Foundation.That charity supports adults in despair in the Swindon area. They then went on to win the Positive Business Award at the TBE Awards in late 2024. Now they’re going all out to support four charities during this year by raising up to £8,000.
Dave Southby, founder said: ‘When I started the business I always felt that I would want to give back to my community in Wiltshire and also to charities that mean something to me. Now my team has grown, we’ve adopted this as one of our purposes and we plan to up our game even more this year.’
Financial Team’s Ambitious Fundraising Plans – Dave Southby & Neil Sawyer
2025
The year has started with a charity bang as Dave and his team have committed to raising funds for four charities, including continuing to support the Kelly Foundation.
‘This year we want to do even more and support even more community charities who are helping others. We will be raising money ourselves through various activities. We plan to continue to support the Kelly Foundation. And also the work of the local charity CALM (Children’s Cancer & Leukaemia Movement). We intend to donate £750 to the Swindon Toy Appeal for Christmas 2025. And another £750 to the eco project Avon Needs Trees. It’s planting permanent woodland at various sites across the South West, including in Chippenham.’
Fran Robinson is one of the volunteers who gives time to CALM. She said: ‘We’re thrilled Dave Southby Financial Planning has chosen us as one of their charities of the year. Seventeen volunteers run our committee. They’re all people affected by a child dealing with cancer.
Last year the company’s team event was to take part in the Race to the Stones event. And they will be doing the same in July 2025 walking or running up to 100km from Lewknor in Oxfordshire to Avebury in Wiltshire over a 24 hour period.
The team are also celebrating another major achievement as the firm made the shortlist for the title of Adviser Firm of the Year – South West & Wales at the 2025 Professional Adviser Awards.
March sees the announcement of the national winners.
Dave and his team work with individuals, families, and business owners across Swindon and Wiltshire. They help them manage their finances effectively and plan for the future. For more information visit https://www.davesouthbyfp.co.uk/
