Stitching communities together

At Social, we pride ourselves on taking grassroots campaigns to people in power. From pubs to Parliament and the dinner table to Downing Street, we know how to build campaigns that start in humble circumstances and quickly develop a bigger purpose.

A great example of this is the #BigCommunitySew, which we launched with fashion designer and BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant last month. Encouraging sewing machinists and groups around the country to make face coverings for neighbours, key workers and community groups, it’s become a volunteering powerhouse.

It’s estimated that almost half a million face coverings have been made and, as well as being backed by Government, it’s received support from many organisations ranging from Aldi to Blackburn Rovers FC.

But as sewing groups across the country, from Shetland to Torbay and Llanelli to Newry, get involved to keep their communities safe, we have seen another added benefit emerge.

The informal networks developing across the country are connecting many people who have become cut off and isolated during lockdown. With a survey by the British Red Cross this week showing 33% of adults had not had a meaningful conversation in the last week, the act of sewing has become a vital lifeline to connect with others through chatting online.

The friendship value is extremely important and I was delighted to see this championed by Government this week through the video they posted of the amazing Marcelle Porteous. Marcelle is a single parent and sewing tour de force who set up Birmingham Scrubs and is doing incredible work to support her community.

The work of campaigning is important at any time but we’ve found it to be doubly important during the pandemic. It’s helping people take control and feel a renewed sense of purpose. It’s the thread that binds communities together and we need that now more than ever.