Crochet Comforts Impact Story

The Community Learning and Development team at The Bowmar Centre run a range of activities and programmes. Over recent months there has been a focus on ensuring that more local people who want to be involved in the Bowmar activities are encouraged and supported to do so. Sharon Ward (CLD) has run a pre-THRIVE programme and one of the participants (Zoe) expressed an interest in sharing her knitting and crocheting skills. She was supported by Sharon to set up a group.

The group meets weekly and sometimes Jackie the caretaker, who is well known in the local community gets involved. They advertised the group through local networks and their Facebook page where they post news of what they are making.

I like it that anybody can come to the group. Often there are groups for people with young children and for pensioners but nothing for people in between. I was finding it hard to get out of the house after a serious illness and I was spending most of my time in my bed. I heard about the group from two members who were really enjoying it, so I made myself get out the house and try it. This is my third week. I had never done any crochet before, but I am learning how to do it now, and now we are making decorations for Christmas. 
 

Group Member 1

After my husband passed away, I was spending too much time at home which wasn’t good for my mental health. The group is great, I really like the company and banter, and I look forward to coming to it every week. And I now go along to the pensioners group on a Friday too. 

Group Member 2

Zoe is now much more confident as a teacher and has lots of ideas for the group as it develops.

My confidence has really grown. I enjoy teaching people how to crochet, and I even showed some young people from the school how it is done. They picked it up really quickly and have now got their own group at the school and are making stuff for the Christmas Fair. We are thinking about a bigger project for next year - maybe making a poppy display for Kilncraigs (Council Offices).

The group has added knitting to their repertoire and are not content to stop there. 

It would be great to be able to alter some of my summer clothes – I have lost weight since
then. 

Group Member

Sharon sees Zoe as a role model for others

I was approached by another Mum who is supporting the CLD family group to deliver craft sessions. She had noticed how much more
confident Zoe is now and hopes to eventually start up her own group or work alongside Zoe if the crochet group do start to recycle/upcycle.

Sharon - CLD Worker

Members have clear ambitions for the future:

I would love for the group to keep expanding to involve more of the community. We have spoken as a group and would like to start learning skills to start upcycling and repurposing clothes and furniture as well as reaching out to help local organisations in our community. I would also like to get more involved in teaching these skills to young people in schools and youth groups. It is amazing to see how far I have come on my own journey, to know I have helped other people come out their comfort zones and get involved with the group is such a good feeling.
To make a positive impact on other people and inspiring them to want to do more is making me more confident and eager to learn more about working in the community and progressing in my own journey. 

Zoe