If you can cast your mind back to the year before the pandemic, this was a time when Ashton Circle was just beginning. It all started with a group of ladies who each loved to knit at home, so we thought, let’s get together and do some knitting with a purpose! And that’s exactly what we did, we rang around and invited all of the ladies to join us for a cup of tea and a spot of knitting at the local supermarket cafe, and they were delighted!

At the knitting group, over brews and biscuits, conversation turned to hobbies – things people have enjoyed in the past and new things they’d like to try! 

Art, Bingo and Boardgames were just a few of the things that people mentioned. The knitting group was going so well, that we thought, hey why not have more gatherings like this but centred around people’s hobbies and skills? Before long, we had regular craft sessions, knitting group meetings, coffee clubs, tabletop board game group gatherings & ‘blind date with a book’ club sessions! 

We were just getting into the swing of things, we had a range of groups available and our number of members was growing, creating a wonderful little community of people with shared interests. COVID-19 came along and restrictions meant that all of our face to face activities were put on hold. But that didn’t stop us from staying connected! Introducing: Circles Connected!

Circles Connected is an online community that we have created on Facebook  which invites people to explore their interests and passions from their own home, and connect virtually with other people from around the world who share their passions! Each week we share a schedule that is shaped by what our members are interested in, which is jam packed with virtual activities, from sketching classes, to cocktail sessions and quizzes!

With COVID restrictions easing, and the excitement of face to face events becoming more like a reality, we’re not ready to say goodbye to the wonderful online community we have built! So we aren’t going to! Ashton Circle and Circles Connected will run hand in hand, offering opportunities for people to connect virtually from their own home and face to face in a local cafe or venue! 

So come and join us, whether that’s in person or virtually, we’d be delighted to have you!