Anna Sabine MP, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport calls for Hobby Hubs to tackle loneliness

Anna Sabine MP, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport calls for Hobby Hubs to tackle loneliness

MP for Frome and East Somerset this week launched the Lib Dem campaign for Hobby Hubs to be introduced across the UK. In her role as Lib Dem Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport, Anna visited Deck and Dagger in Frome to play board games and chat about the importance of hobbies and the community they bring.

The proposal aims to revitalise libraries, community centres and pubs into spaces where residents can more easily meet and connect, breathing new life into high streets while tackling the growing crisis of loneliness and isolation in Frome and East Somerset and across the UK.

House of Commons Library research shows that since 2015, 498 libraries and leisure centres have closed across the country. Locally in Somerset, and B&NES, residents have felt the impact of these closures, leaving many with no choice but to practice their hobbies at home or seek interaction solely online.

And now new data reveals that the average person spends less than half the time on hobbies compared to four years ago, falling from 353 hours per year in 2020 to just 147 hours in 2024.Anna Sabine MP and the Liberal Democrats have warned that a “crisis of connection” is gripping the UK, worsened by the steady loss of local community infrastructure.

Under the Liberal Democrat plan for “hobby hubs,” existing spaces such as libraries, community centres and pubs would be able to access grant funding to host regular hobby groups. Pots of funding would be made available for shared resources such as sewing machines, cameras, musical instruments and board games, reducing the financial barriers to participation. The party would also allow GPs to ‘prescribe’ participation in Hobby Hubs to patients at risk of isolation, integrating these hubs into local health and community strategies.

Anna Sabine, Liberal Democrat MP for Frome and East Somerset said:

“Sharing hobbies and passions with peers is a powerful way to fight loneliness, isolation and loss of community in an increasingly online world.

As the parent of teenagers, I know how important it is to provide spaces for them to connect with others, to engage and socialise doing something they love. 

Hobbies aren’t a luxury, they are a lifeline, whether it’s sports or board games, knitting or playing music, these are more than just past times, they are social activities that are absolutely necessary to allow for balance for adults and teens alike. 

Covid saw all of us suffer, not least our younger generations, many of whom suffer from social anxiety, and providing practical, local spaces where people can connect, create and belong, is a crucial element to bringing us out of isolation and into community life again.”