This new project has been created by Sew Positive – a UK charity building communities of like-minded people who face social exclusion. Sew Positive works with people to mend, repair, upcycle and repurpose clothes to calm the mind, improve mental health and wellbeing, and help our planet. The charity’s activities contribute towards a more sustainable and climate-positive approach to textile waste.
Led by experienced tutors Colin “Superstitch” Coleman and Sashiko Facilitator Oliver Eagle-Wilsher, the Men’s Hems sessions will cover mending clothes, simple fixes like hemming and repairing buttons, and more creative upcycling projects. The aim is to foster a supportive community where men can share conversations, creativity, and mutual encouragement.
Colin, creative tutor at Men’s Hems, said, “The whirring of the sewing machine helps calm the noise of the world and helps me to focus on the repetitive tasks of patchwork. It helps me to find some mental balance.”
Sew Positive received funding from Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire (CPSL) Mind’s Good Life Fund in 2021 and has now gone on to become a registered charity and has recently been awarded grant funding from CPSL Mind’s newly created Good Life Fund Plus initiative.
Good Life Fund Plus, which launched on World Mental Health Day 2024, complements CPSL Mind’s existing Good Life Fund which has been successfully operating since January 2021.
The Good Life Fund Plus initiative is financed as part of the current Good Life Service, commissioned by Cambridgeshire County Council. This Fund has been developed with stakeholders, including those with lived experience of mental health, and grants are distributed to local groups for activities that support the Five Ways to Wellbeing, which are: Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.
Abby Glonek, Good Life Fund Co-ordinator at CPSL Mind, said, “It is an exciting time for CSPL Mind’s Good Life Fund and Men’s Hems is a wonderful project that will benefit so many people living in Cambridgeshire. I would like to congratulate the Sew Positive team for their fantastic hard work in raising the profile of mental health and the way they continue to support people experiencing mental health challenges. We look forward to hearing about the positive impact of the new group and thank you to everyone involved.”
Men’s Hems welcomes individuals who may be feeling socially isolated or dealing with family breakdowns, low mood, or other challenges. By engaging with mending, participants can develop a mindful, hands-on approach to improving mental wellbeing. The venue offers a spacious workshop with coffee and conversation spaces; however, the venue is currently accessed via stairs, with lift installation under review.
Melissa Santiago-Val, Sew Positive CEO, said, “Sew Positive’s project Men’s Hems is one of the first to be awarded funding from the Good Life Plus Fund. We are delighted to be supporting this grass roots mental health initiative in our communities.
“We know that men face particular mental health challenges. According to research1 conducted by the Samaritans, males aged 45-49 years were found to have the highest suicide rate (25.3 per 100,000). Men’s Hems therefore provides opportunities for men to benefit from creativity and connection, which are key elements of the Five Ways to Wellbeing.
Melissa continues, “Textile waste is a huge issue, being the second largest industry contributing to carbon emissions. Enabling men to learn basic mending and upcycling skills while in a supportive environment is therefore crucial and is a great opportunity to show it’s not just women who sew! Also, Scientists at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) used data2 from a major national survey to investigate the impact of taking part in activities, such as arts and crafts. They found that creativity had as great an influence on participants’ wellbeing and happiness as sociodemographic factors like age and health.”
Sew Positive is seeking male volunteers to support the sessions—no prior sewing experience is required, just a friendly and supportive attitude. Volunteers will help with materials, setup, and providing guidance to participants.
Oliver Eagle-Wilsher, Volunteer and Project Support, said, “The act of sewing (and other practical creativity) helps me focus on the present. In my Sashiko practice that means trying to keep a rhythm to the sewing rather than perfect stitches. On top of that when dealing with mistakes within my own pattern, cutting work has given me a deeper understanding of acceptance when things do not go according to plan.
“When I have volunteered for Sew Positive in the past, the creative joy that has been present has had a profoundly positive effect on my own mental health and hopefully those present at the sessions, too.”
For more information or to register as a participant or volunteer, visit Sew Positive website: SewPositive | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree
References
<1> https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/research-policy/suicide-facts-and-figures/latest-suicide-data/
<2> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2yr0d3m1no#:~:text=Scientists%20at%20Anglia%20Ruskin%20University,factors%20like%20age%20and%20health
August 22, 2024