Meet the volunteers
The heart and soul of Connect Up is our Community Connectors and Volunteers who share their passion and love to create social spaces for others to connect. Try one of our volunteer-run activities ... you never know who you'll meet when you try something new like nature journaling or crocheting.
Meet Ami
"Nature journalling is such a gorgeous thing to do ... I really hope you’ll love it too!
How did you first discover nature journalling and what about it makes you so passionate?
I first discovered nature journaling when I arrived from the UK as a fresh foreign person. I was feeling a little bit out of sorts, and I wasn't really connecting with the landscape. I was feeling homesick, and I needed to do something which was going to help me feel a little bit better about myself. It turned out that nature journaling was something that really helped me to feel like I belong in this place. I've been journaling ever since, and I've been spreading the word and spreading the love of this activity because it's so enriching in so many ways.
How does nature journalling help you connect with people or meet new people?
I've been to many, many, many nature journaling meetups and I have not met a single person that I have not got along with. There was something about this activity that attracts a certain type of person, very relaxed, very low key and quite a deep thinker. It’s also not an activity anyone really does on their own so every time I run social journalling groups and people experience what it’s like they are excited to do it more.
Meet Alexis
"Life gets busy, and it’s hard to find time to catch up with friends, learn something new, or just slow down."
How did you find out about crocheting and get passionate about crochet?
A close friend of mine was really into amigurumi and offered to teach me. I honestly thought it was too hard for me to learn at first, but she encouraged me to keep at it. Her support made all the difference. Once it finally clicked, I couldn’t put the hook down.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about learning but is worried they’ve never done anything like this before?
There’s no wrong way to crochet, and no wrong way to learn. Some people like to understand the theory first. Others, like me, learn best by trying it and figuring things out along the way. Mistakes are part of it. Let go of expectation and give yourself room to play.
How does crocheting help you connect with people or meet new people?
Life gets busy, and it’s hard to find time to catch up with friends, learn something new, or just slow down. Crochet makes it easy to do all three at once. I love hiking and crocheting. A scarf is the perfect compact project to stitch as you walk. And I love seeing how different people approach this craft. I have too many crocheted cardigans, while others are all about cute amigurumi plushies. Everyone has their own style.