Game Therapy UK, the charity using tabletop RPGs to support people experiencing homelessness, addiction and PTSD, is hosting its fifth annual comedy fundraiser at The Comedy Store in Leicester Square on 28 April.
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Find events near youThe lineup features Mark Thomas (Have I Got News For You), Cally Beaton (Live at the Apollo, QI) and Nick Helm (8 Out of 10 Cats), with tickets from £10 to £20. Blue light card holders, students and seniors can grab a discounted £15 ticket.
The charity was born when two colleagues working in London's homelessness sector realised that the tabletop RPGs they'd both played since the late 1970s could be used therapeutically. Game Therapy UK now runs evidence-based gaming sessions for homeless individuals, neurodivergent young people, military veterans with PTSD, modern slavery survivors and people in addiction recovery. Their approach uses collaborative RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons in psychologically informed settings to build creativity, social connection and resilience.
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See how it worksThe work has earned recognition across the gaming industry. Game Therapy UK won the inaugural Ian Livingstone Award for Innovation in Games at Dragonmeet in 2023 (Livingstone co-founded Games Workshop and co-created the Fighting Fantasy books). Steamforged Games later adopted them as a supported charity partner.
All proceeds from the comedy night fund new therapeutic gaming projects. Doors open at 7pm, and the show runs until 11pm at 1a Oxendon Street, London SW1Y 4EE. You must be 18 or over to attend.
If the idea of gaming for good resonates with your group, find out more about Game Therapy UK's work. Or if you're simply looking for your next game night, find events near you on Backseat Gamer.
Sources: Game Therapy UK | Tabletop Gaming | The Comedy Store | Steamforged Games
