About Us

The Silvermere Softplay Team looking happy in front of their softplay structure

Silvermere Softplay is a not-for-profit organisation that is separate to, but derived from, our long-established Cobham based gymnastics club.

Our state-of-the-art softplay facility lies at the very heart of our Dorking site and offers a fantastic space for children of all ages to play, have fun and unleash their natural energy. Alongside our focus on movement and play, Silvermere Softplay also offers space for our local public and community groups to connect in our homely and inviting café which is open to all (even dogs!).

Our vision was to make the softplay facility and café collaboratively multi-functional and inclusive, to ensure that no member of our community is left unwelcome. 

We hope that you like our vision as much as we do, and we look forward to welcoming soon!

Our Ethos

Move

Play

Connect

Move

Linked to play, movement is another of our values that spans widely across our business. Our bodies are the very things that allow us to connect with our surroundings and others, to communicate and express ourselves, to eat and drink, explore and make sense of the world. So we think it’s really important that we look after them through movement!  Movement enables us to develop and maintain healthy joints, strong bones, physical strength, good circulation, healthy hearts and good co-ordination. It’s also beneficial for improving learning skills, concentration, and mental well-being. Another key benefit of movement is that it can be used in a social or relaxing context, dependent on the environment or what you are after. And guess what? There is no right or wrong way to move (however big or small)….everyone can do it, which makes it entirely inclusive to all.

Another reason that moving is such a key component in our ethos as a business is due to the fact that we like to think that we offer our customers and staff a way to move, develop and transition in a place that fosters their potential in a fun, inclusive and encouraging environment.

Play

Play is a natural and enjoyable way for kids (and adults) to keep active, spontaneous, produce endorphins and connection to their imagination and others. Play is a key contributor towards healthy child development (and relationships!), where kids can learn about the world and themselves. For these reasons, of course it is a fundamental value in our ethos and mission as a business! As humans, during play, we develop many essential skills such as:

 

  • confidence
  • self-esteem
  • resilience
  • interaction
  • social skills
  • independence
  • curiosity
  • coping with challenging situations

Not only this, it’s great for physical and mental health due to enhancing:

  • physical fitness and stamina
  • balance, mobility and co-ordination
  • Developing a sense of emotional regulation and expression
  • Producing “feel good” energy

Come and join us! And remember, you’re never too old to still be playful and reap the benefits of not taking life too seriously sometimes!

Connect

Connecting to oneself and others is SO important for maintaining a healthy sense of belonging and a huge contributing factor to wellbeing. At Silvermere, we hope to offer the local community various avenues for connection to self and others via our softplay sessions and Children’s programme, our Gymnastics offering and our active and well programme for adults. Our cafe site also offers an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our community to connect with our staff and others, or visit as a local community group.