Kingston Smith & Partners facilitates transfer of National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries (t/a Play Matters), saving 15 jobs

Ian Robert, Licensed Insolvency Partner at Kingston Smith & Partners LLP, the Corporate Recovery arm of accountancy firm Kingston Smith LLP, has secured the future of the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries, trading as Play Matters, following his appointment as Administrator on 3 February 2011.

The charity, which provides training, resources and events to help create play opportunities for all children, was transferred with help from the Government’s Transition Fund, to two separate charitable entities. The English based elements of the charity were transferred to the National Children’s Bureau (NCB), the leading national charity which supports children, young people and families, on 17 June 2011. The Scottish based parts of the charity were transferred to Smart Play Network (SPN) on 9 September 2011. SPN will continue to provide vital support to toy libraries across Scotland and local communities based in Edinburgh, Dundee and Fife, in particular using the ‘Play On Wheels’ brand, via fixed and mobile toy libraries and play projects.

Ian Robert was appointed Administrator following cuts to the charity’s funding, and was able to continue running the organisation to complete remaining contracts and ensure the successful transfer to the NCB and SPN.

Commenting on the transfer, Ian Robert said: “It is always rewarding to save businesses, but to preserve the good work of this long-established charity, and its effect on the five communities it serves - not to mention the fifteen employees who have worked tirelessly in those communities - is especially satisfying.”

NCB is a not-for-profit umbrella organisation that hosts a number of partnership programmes, providing single issue groups with access to a range of shared support services in order to maximise cost efficiencies.

SPN is a registered charity and membership organisation to a range of play and play resource providers in Scotland.SPN provides support in setting up and running services as well as promoting the benefits of play and community cohesion.