Cardnutz & Hobbycraft groups

Cardnutz & Hobbycraft groups

Some of our groups have overlapping members, which often leads the management team to mix these two groups up. Since we know the characters well in both groups, we think both are absolutely amazing—truly wonderful people. The artwork they produce is phenomenal; some of it has to be seen to be believed. They don’t create these works for profit; they are not businesspeople but rather creative individuals who enjoy being part of communities and giving to charities. Nearly all of their work is done to raise money for charitable causes.

In the beginning, around two years ago, we tried to work out a circular economy method by making cards and selling them to pay for the groups' room rental fees, thus making their space free for those wanting to create artwork. Initially, this was a phenomenal success. We would move the card stand between corridors, depending on which group was in which hall. The groups would get cards made up for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, etc., so people attending other events at the hub could purchase cards for upcoming seasonal occasions. The honesty box was thriving at first, but as the hub became busier, the volunteers managing it found their workloads increased significantly. Moving the card stand and encouraging people to buy cards became just another task we no longer had time for.

Although the card stands and honesty box are still present, we no longer promote them, and they rarely generate any money these days. The groups renting the space can now afford to pay for their own rentals without needing to sell cards. We may consider relaunching it in the future, perhaps by starting a community shop or saving up cards for the year-round hub events.

The unpaid volunteers managing the hub have built a very friendly relationship with these groups. They attend our events and enjoy the shared space during their weekly meetings. We are no longer just a management team and a renting group; we are a community in a shared space. Recently, the groups; or more specifically Rachel Riley (who is in both groups)and her daughter Donna,

wanted to give something back to the community and decided to host a psychic medium evening to raise funds for the hub. We were delighted to host this event, and we were amazed by the turnout. On October 12, 2026, approximately 90 people attended the main hall. The atmosphere was electric, with many social connections made and countless happy, smiling faces. The hub manager that evening mentioned that he could actually feel the positive energy resonating throughout the space.

The food spread provided by the group was excellent, and the leftovers were placed in the hub’s new containers for the next day's groups to benefit from. The groups managed to raise a phenomenal amount of £1,0020. We at the hub are extremely grateful for their effort and the financial support for our charity. We have chosen to use this money to purchase a much-needed printer, which will enhance the hub's usability and assist us with promotional posters, our monthly newsletter, and flyers, among other materials.