Mental health sewing classes get £600k to expand

Sewing classes are used as a way for women suffering from social isolation to meet in a safe space and share a common interest

A Bradford charity which uses sewing classes to help women from mostly South Asian backgrounds with their mental health said additional funding will help it expand.

The Women’s Empowered Minds project was set up by Abbas Najib, chief executive officer of Better Communities Bradford (BCB).

It is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) which has offered free therapy and group sessions to women for the past five years.

Mr Najib said grants of £600,000 from the Henry Smith Foundation and the National Lottery Better Communities Fund will enable it to run for another three years and hold five classes each week.

"The funding equals about £200,000 a year," Mr Najib said.

"It provides sewing classes for about 100 women a week plus about fifty hours of mental health therapy for one-on-one sessions and group therapy for the same women."

He said the project started off small providing services for women in the BD7 area.

"It was a demand that had been expressed by the local residents.

"We've been providing them for about five years now and this year we've secured funding for the next three years and are able to run five classes a week."

Abbas Najib said the grant funding meant the services could continue for another three years

According to BCB, 150 to 200 women benefit each month from some kind of mental health therapy.

Referrals can be from GPs, friends or family and by direct contact.

Mr Najib said issues tackled included isolation, depression, anxiety, couples' and family counselling, as well as bereavement.

"The majority of our beneficiaries are from BD7 - Lidget Green, Scholemoor and the like," he said.

"Around 90 to 95% of the users are from the South Asian community. That reflects the area's demographic.

"Of course we also have users who are white English, Eastern European, and we have users who are from African heritage."

The sewing classes are one of range of services the £600,000 grant will pay for over the next three years

Mr Najib said many of the issues experienced by those who use BCB's services were similar to those of other women across the country.

"When the recent Islamophobic riots happened, South Asian women were more isolated as a result," he said.

"Mosques being targeted, people of colour being singled out and anti-Muslim chants being expressed.

"A lot of mental health therapy moved online, it moved to the phone, because women were not comfortable attending the centre for those few weeks."

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