Barrow Make and Mend Group Tackles Loneliness Through Art

Published: 14 August 2026 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online

A small community group in Barrow is showing how creativity, friendship and shared activities can help men facing loneliness, anxiety and other challenges rebuild confidence and develop stronger connections with those around them.

The Men’s Make and Mend sessions, launched in 2024 by ArtWorks Art4All, bring around 15 participants together each week for two-and-a-half hours of practical creative work. From glassmaking and jewellery to pottery and candlestick-making, the sessions offer participants an opportunity to learn new skills while spending time in a supportive environment.

The initiative was created after requests from men in the community for a place where they could meet others, develop friendships and make use of their practical and artistic abilities. Organisers say the relatively small size of the group has been important because many participants face circumstances that can make conventional social settings difficult.

For some, the sessions have become much more than an arts and crafts activity. They have provided structure, companionship and a reason to leave home, particularly for people experiencing bereavement, anxiety, depression or other health difficulties.

Sharon Tait, a volunteer with ArtWorks Art4All, said the sessions had “had a real effect” on those attending. She explained that several participants live with mental health difficulties or other conditions and therefore need an environment where they can feel comfortable and safe.

The group currently meets on Thursdays at a unit on Duke Street in Barrow town centre. Over the course of each session, members work on creative projects while talking to one another and gradually developing relationships.

For Dale, one of the participants, the group has been particularly important following the deaths of two members of his family. He said coming to the sessions had helped him cope with the loss and provided a routine that prevented him from becoming isolated at home.

“Coming to this group instead of sitting at home helps me get through that and gives me a routine,” he said.

His experience reflects one of the central aims of the project. Rather than treating loneliness simply as a lack of social contact, the organisers have tried to create a setting where friendships develop naturally through shared activity.

That approach has been especially significant for participants who may find ordinary social situations overwhelming.

Tait said the group includes someone living with dementia, several people with autism and participants experiencing mental health difficulties. For that reason, organisers have deliberately kept the group relatively small.

“The group itself is only small and that’s what they wanted because of their needs,” Tait said.

The group has also developed its own Messenger chat, allowing members to remain connected between weekly sessions. For organisers, the development is an indication that relationships formed through the project are extending beyond the workshop itself.

Tait described the Messenger group as “really lovely”, highlighting how a practical creative project has gradually developed into a wider social support network.

One of the factors behind the project’s success has been the decision to give participants a meaningful role in determining how the group develops.

When ArtWorks Art4All secured £3,350 from the Cumbria Community Foundation last year, organisers did not simply decide how the money should be spent. Instead, they asked participants what they believed would be most useful.

That process resulted in some unexpected choices.

Tait explained that organisers might initially have assumed the group needed additional tools and equipment, but the men themselves requested that a ceramic artist be brought in to teach pottery.

“[As organisers] we might’ve thought we needed a drill, but actually they said they needed a ceramic artist to come in and teach them pottery,” she said.

The decision reflected the principle that the participants should have ownership of their own group. Rather than simply receiving a service, members were able to influence the activities and direction of the project.

This sense of ownership can be particularly important for people who have experienced isolation or a loss of confidence. Having a say in decisions can help reinforce the idea that their views and interests matter.

The funding also allowed the group to organise trips outside Barrow, including visits to Muncaster Castle and the historic house and gardens at Holker Hall.

For some participants, these outings presented challenges that might appear relatively ordinary to others. Tait said several members experienced “debilitating anxiety” and that activities such as travelling by bus could represent significant hurdles.

Taking part in the trips therefore became an achievement in itself.

The experience gave participants opportunities to test themselves in unfamiliar environments while being supported by people they already knew and trusted. In that sense, the excursions complemented the creative sessions by helping members gradually expand their confidence beyond the workshop.

The experience of the Men’s Make and Mend group reflects wider concerns about loneliness and social isolation, particularly among people who may struggle to access traditional community activities.

Creative projects can offer an alternative route into social interaction because conversation does not have to be the sole purpose of attending. Participants can focus on making something together, learning a skill or completing a project while relationships develop naturally around the activity.

For people experiencing anxiety, depression, bereavement or other difficulties, that structure can make social participation feel more manageable.

The group also demonstrates the potential value of community organisations in identifying needs that may not be addressed by larger institutions. Its development was driven partly by requests from local men who wanted somewhere to meet and make friends.

Rather than imposing a predetermined programme, organisers have adapted the sessions around the participants’ needs.

That flexibility has helped create an environment where people with different experiences and abilities can participate at their own pace.

Despite the project’s progress, its future is uncertain.

The Cumbria Community Foundation funding that helped support the group’s activities has now run out. ArtWorks Art4All has consequently introduced a £3 charge for its sessions.

While the fee is intended to help cover costs, Tait is concerned that additional funding will be necessary if the group is to continue in the longer term.

For people already experiencing financial pressures, even a relatively modest charge could potentially create another barrier to participation. The organisers therefore hope to secure further grants or other financial support to keep the project accessible.

Tait warned that closing the group would represent a “huge loss to the people who come”.

That concern reflects the role the sessions have come to play in the lives of participants. The value of the project cannot easily be measured simply by the number of objects produced during each meeting.

Its impact is also visible in the friendships formed, the routines established and the confidence gained by people who might otherwise spend much of their time alone.

For Dale, the group has offered companionship during a difficult period of bereavement. For others, it has provided an opportunity to manage anxiety, practise social skills or simply spend time among people who understand their experiences.

The challenge now is ensuring that these benefits are not lost because of a lack of funding.

The story of Make and Mend suggests that tackling loneliness does not always require complicated solutions. Sometimes, providing a welcoming place, a regular routine and an activity that people genuinely enjoy can make a significant difference.

In Barrow, creative work has become the starting point for conversations, friendships and personal achievements. Participants have been able to learn from visiting artists, explore different forms of craft and take part in trips that once seemed difficult.

For organisers, the project’s success is rooted in listening to the people it was created to support.

As funding pressures grow, the group faces uncertainty, but its achievements since 2024 demonstrate the potential of community-led initiatives to address social isolation.

For the men who attend each Thursday, the workshop is not simply a place to make jewellery, glasswork or pottery. It is a place to meet people, establish a routine and feel part of a community.

If further funding can be secured, organisers hope Make and Mend will continue providing that sense of connection for years to come. For a group built around making and repairing objects, its wider achievement may ultimately be helping people rebuild confidence, relationships and a sense of belonging.

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