Crafty way to spend your time in Mexborough

MexCraft meet every Tuesday morning at Mexborough Library and one of its funders said every town should have a group like it.

Treasurer, Maureen Booth, said: “It’s about creating a place where people from the community can come together and share.

“They share skills, stories and for some people it is the only time they come out of the house.

“We’ve got people who come every week, others who pop in when they can around work, some people bring their grandchildren or children with them.

“It’s fantastic that we’ve got a group like this in Mexborough. It really makes a difference to people’s lives and it is great to see people learning new skills or brushing up on long forgotten ones to make something either for the community or for themselves.”

The group has worked with Arts Council funded Right Up Our Street scheme to bring in guest speakers and artists who have shown them different skills from yarnstorming to dressmaking.

Dominic Somers, from Right Up Our Street said: “Every town needs a group like Mexcraft.

“It has been great to work with them and get more people involved in being creative.

“Quite simply the group has fun, they make and create, and chat – a lot – but the overarching purpose of the group is to bring people together and it does that fantastically.”

Dawn Noble has been a regular at the group and has attempted dress making and crocheting.

She said she enjoyed the nice relaxed atmosphere and the fact that people can bring their own projects as well.

Lauren Tepper (20), who has learnt dressmaking skills, said: “We get ladies and gentlemen who might often be on their own as their children have left home and they are looking to fill a hole in their lives.”

The group has created a calendar to raise funds to support its work which can be bought for £3.50 at the craft sessions or The 30 Mexborough shop.

The group meets every Tuesday from 10am to 2pm and a £3 contribution covers a hot lunch.