Brian Griffin, a long-time Dungeons and Dragons master and passionate board game player, has always believed that games are far more than a way to pass time, they’re a way to connect, to imagine, to have fun and to belong.

“I’ve wanted a games group in Brighton for years,” he says. “I kept waiting for one to appear, and then I realised if I wanted it to exist, I needed to build it.”

That simple decision sparked the creation of the Brighton Games Guild, a new community group dedicated to bringing people together through tabletop, card, and role-playing games. From fantasy campaigns to board games, the Guild hopes to offer a space for people of all ages and backgrounds to gather, laugh, and share stories.

For Brian, it’s about more than dice and miniatures. “When people play together, they start imagining together,” he explains. “They problem-solve, they tell stories, they trust each other, and that builds real connection. That’s what we’re missing in a lot of communities, and games have this wonderful way of bringing it back.”

The Brighton Games Guild arranged its first meet up at Bridgewater Library for late November, and locals were invited to bring their favourite games or learn new ones. The aim is to meet up on a regular basis after this and Brian hopes it will grow into a place where people feel welcome. Follow the Brighton Games Guild – Tas on Facebook for more information.