Craft group use knitting and crocheting to improve mental health and well being of their members

A group in Doncaster is looking for new members to join in their creative and crafty sessions.
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Dadesley Crafting CIC are based in Tickhill – the aims of the group are to bring people together, improve mental health and well being and combat loneliness.

Michelle Dunn, a director of the group, said: "Often craft classes are expensive and you go away with a feeling that you've wasted your money and that you can't do the craft you wanted to try.

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"Our members always leave with something that they have made during that session and a smile on their face, knowing that they are crafty.

The group uses crafts to improve mental health.The group uses crafts to improve mental health.
The group uses crafts to improve mental health.

“People often say they aren't crafty.

"We don't believe that, we will help them find their crafty streak. I've attached some photos of what we've been making.”

Thrifty craft sessions are £6 each and last two hours.

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Michelle said: “We supply all the materials and equipment needed, we even supply the refreshments including the chocolate biscuits.

“We have a monthly focus which consists of four weekly sessions.

"So far we've done Knitting, Crochet and Suffolk Puffs.

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“We also have one off sessions for things like card making, MDF painting, floral arrangements and painted mandala's

“There's a get together twice a week for needle crafts (yarn group) which is an unstructured session, where people fetch whatever they are working and we provided the venue and refreshments and someone to have a natter with.”

The group also partakes in craft fairs that help new creatives sell the items they make in sessions if they wish too.

“All crafters are fully insured, everything sold is handcrafted by the people behind the stall,” she said.

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“So often you go to a 'craft fair' to find that it is full of stalls selling mass produced items.

"Not ours.

“We help new crafters understand the importance of insurance and legislation surrounding what they make.”

The fairs are on the first Saturday of the month at Northgate Community Hub and on the third Saturday of the month at Bawtry New Hall.

Michelle said: “We've been very lucky in securing two National Lottery Grants and one from Doncaster Council.

"These are helping fund the work we do.

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"People have been so isolated and crafting is a great way to help people relax and unwind.

"We'd like more people to attend our sessions and craft fairs. so that we can introduce everyone to the benefits of crafting.”

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