Hoyland Common craft group offers ‘therapy for the soul’
published on 2 Apr 2026
A Salvation Army craft group is providing ‘therapy for the soul’ by creating a safe space for people to explore their creativity and improve their mental health.
Hoyland Common Salvation Army, which is led by Territorial Envoy Bev Waring, runs craft sessions each Thursday morning where participants can draw, paint, knit or make cards. The collaborative approach allows members to provide activity packs to help guide each other, or people can work on their own individual crafting projects.
Open to all, it is a place where many have found comfort and friendship, particularly when going through difficult times, including dealing with homelessness and bereavement.
Karen, a Salvation Army volunteer who leads the sessions and makes cards that are sold to raise money for The Salvation Army, said the group began in collaboration with Creative Recovery, a charity that uses arts to support mental wellbeing.
Karen said: “This group helps to build your creative skills as well as foster friendship. It’s a really safe space where the conversations flow. You're busy with your hands, and it relaxes your mind. Everybody brings different skillsets and we can learn from each other.
“It's a way of connecting with people and with our community, especially if you are new to the area. When I first moved here, I walked into this Salvation Army and got such a lovely feeling. I met Betty, who used to lead the craft group, and the first thing she said was ‘Hello, do you do craft?’
“I suffer from lack of confidence and shyness, but my mental health has really improved since coming here. I’ve got my faith, craft group and so many friends - people that I can really talk to and rely on.”
After the death of her son, Joy had closed herself off from company and had no intention of joining a group, but was persuaded to give it a go by her niece.
She said: “I’d sort of shut down, but then I started coming here and realised that everybody has problems, and that these are nice people and I can talk to them. Doing this gives you a release from thinking all the thoughts that you have just sitting in your house. Especially around the anniversary of my son’s death, I need people. I can sit here and nobody say a word, but I know that they are there for me and if I want to talk to them, I can.”
For friends Trish and Sam, Thursday mornings at The Salvation Army are a constant. Even when Sam was made homeless and living in temporary accommodation, without fail she would be at craft group.
Sam said: “It’s vitally important that I don’t miss a Thursday. Even when I was living in temporary accommodation Trish would pick me up and bring me here. I need the social interaction otherwise I'm just stuck in the house 24/7 with nobody to talk to. My health has deteriorated, so it’s the only time I get out and about. When everything else is kind of up in the air, this group is a constant for me.”
Trish added: “It's just different. It's nice to be out, and all the ladies are really nice. I turn down any appointments people try to make for me on a Thursday. I can’t miss this!”
Group members will make cards and knit gifts for special occasions such as Easter or Christmas which are then sold with the proceeds going back into the work The Salvation Army does.
Impressed by the standard of Christmas cards Karen had made, Simone joined the group to improve her cardmaking skills. She said: “I wanted to learn a new skill, but it’s the people I’ve met here that keep me coming back. There are connections that you make that go beyond these four walls. We’ve been shopping together and one member has helped me wallpaper a room at home, plus I now get to make pretty cards for Christmas!”
Participant Annis said: “It's such a lovely, friendly group. Everybody supports each other and comes together through a shared love of crafting. There are occasions when everybody feels a bit low, but if somebody needs support or a hug, they get that. Crafting is therapy for the soul.”
Another participant Amanda added: “It’s absolutely brilliant. It's a safe place. You can chat and you feel relaxed. You can be yourself. We laugh and you need lots of laughs.”
Hoyland Common Salvation Army in Central Street hosts a number of activities through the week including a coffee morning on a Tuesday, parent and toddlers on a Wednesday and much more.
