Oxfam GB 31d ago

In an Oxfam shop in Tooting, a group of women from different walks of life come together each week to sew, knit, stitch, and spend time with one another. ‘Sewing & Sanctuary’ brings together women from refugee, asylum seeker, and local communities to share skills, reuse materials, and work on everything from banners to fashion pieces. Over time, it has become more than a craft group. It’s a place of friendship, encouragement, creativity, and calm – somewhere women can leave stress outside the door and feel less alone. “For me, the most important thing is people’s mental health – making friends, coming to a calm space and feeling that you can relax. All of us might be feeling stress listening to the news, and very often, women are carers, or they’re lonely, or they’re dealing with mental health issues, and I think for them, it’s leaving that outside the door.” When life feels overwhelming, hope can be found in places like this: somewhere to breathe, feel a little lighter, and know you don’t have to carry everything on your own.