A new Walkden social group is offering cheap weekend session in hope of tackling the effects of the cost of living crisis.
The ‘Brew Crew’, who emphasise the importance of socialising in relaxed settings, held their first Saturday meet-up last week, in which guests can pay £1 for hot food and drink.
The club takes place at the ‘Hug in a Mug’ cafe in Walkden.
Co-founder Hugo Webb said: “On Saturdays, everyone pays £1, and they get sandwiches, tea and biscuits and pot noodles.”
All adults are encouraged to “come along, buy a brew or breakfast” and “chat rubbish and have a laugh” in the group, who now meet on Friday and Saturday mornings on the shopping strip.
The group had existed for just a month before starting the economically friendly sessions.
Mr Webb explained how the initiative for the group took off over “a brew” in the popular Salford café, and that he wanted it to differ from the structured men’s’ support group at the same location.
He said: “You go in there and there’s always things to talk about. Whereas the Brew Crew, that was more like, what did you have for tea last night?”
Mr Webb, alongside his friend Kirk, were already volunteering at the ‘Talk About It Mate’ club in the ‘Make Space’ room of the shopping centre, a mental health collective geared towards males, when they pitched the idea for ‘The Brew Crew’ to boss Michael Richards in early October.
Friday meetings promptly started (with the help of volunteer Rachael Monks) at the renowned ‘Hug in a Mug’ coffee house, a stone’s throw away from the men’s club, which Webb says were met with huge traction.
Mr Webb continued: “The first week, there was no one. It was just my friend sat in the café on his own. Then the next week there were two or three people, and it kind of just grew.
“It was extremely emotional and humbling. I’ve never done anything like this before in my life.”
As the cost-of-living crisis reached a boiling point in late October, the group decided to go the extra mile for members of the community who, like themselves, were struggling, by hosting the economically friendly Saturday meetings.
Hugo said: “The idea was planted about because of the winter, and because of the problem with fuel bills and petrol and gas, stuff everyone’s affected by.”
While the Friday sessions remain in ‘Hug in a Mug’, the new Saturday meet-ups carry the same ‘Make Space’ location as the men’s group, as a way, Hugo says, of giving back to the club that inspired the project.
With no pressure to engage in regimented mental health discussions, ‘The Brew Crew’ make it a priority that all attendees feel safe and included at all sessions.
This is especially important to Webb, who himself has struggled with mental health issues:
“I suffer from anxiety and have learning difficulties as well. I always tell people I’m the dream for a BBC Two documentary.”
‘The Brew Crew’ welcomes visitors Fridays, 10-11:30am, at the ‘Hug in a Mug’ café, and Saturdays, 10:30-12:30pm, at the ‘Make Space’ room, both in Walkden Shopping Centre.
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