Loneliness Awareness Week 2026

Access Wellbeing marked Loneliness Awareness Week (15-21 June) by highlighting opportunities for connection across Dorset.

Loneliness Awareness Week is a global campaign that encourages people to talk openly about loneliness and the importance of meaningful connections. By starting conversations, reaching out to others, and taking part in local activities, we can help break down the stigma that often surrounds loneliness and create stronger, more connected communities where everyone feels a sense of belonging. Small actions can make a big difference in reducing loneliness and helping people build lasting social connections.

Throughout the week we shared information on some of the many groups, activities, and community spaces available across Dorset, over on our Instagram page: @accesswellbeingdorset, dedicating each day to one of our five Access Wellbeing localities.

Whether you’re looking to meet new people, try a new hobby, or simply enjoy a friendly conversation, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved and feel part of your local community.

We’ve compiled a few different spaces and groups below, but there are many more across Dorset that are available! Pop into local libraries, community centres, village halls, churches, cafés, leisure centres and you will find connection activities.

If you are feeling lonely or isolated, you can also come and chat with one of our friendly wellbeing coordinators, who are on-hand to listen. We now have over 30 drop-in spaces across Dorset, you can find your local drop-in space on our Places and Spaces page.

East Dorset
Boscombe

Garden Sessions, The Secret Garden
Mondays and Fridays, 9am-1pm

ANDYSMANCLUB, 33 Sea Road
Mondays, 7pm onwards

Knit, Crochet and Chatter, St Saviours
Tuesdays, 10am-12pm

Games Group, Boscombe Library
Wednesdays, 2pm-4pm

Café Social, The Well Café
Fridays 11am-1pm

Social Canteen, The Garden Rooms Café
Fridays, 5pm-7pm

Bournemouth

Coffee Morning, Springbourne Library
Second Monday of each month, 11am-12pm

Knit and Natter, Kinson Community Centre
Mondays, 2pm-3pm

Social Group, The Brasshaus
Tuesdays, 12pm-2pm

Moordown Friendship Club (over 50s),
Moordown Community Centre
Thursdays, 1.45pm-3.15pm

Community Crafts, Henry Brown Centre
Fridays, 11am-1pm

Christchurch and Somerford 

Christchurch Men’s Shed, 248 Lymington Road,
Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm

Community Lunch Club, Somerford Arc
Wednesdays, 12pm-1.30pm

Free Community Breakfast, Somerford Arc
Thursdays, 9.30am-11.30am

Knit and Natter, Christchurch Library
Thursdays, 2pm-4pm

Board Games, Christchurch Library
Fridays, 2pm-4pm

Ferndown and Wimborne

Knit and Natter, Ferndown Library
Second Tuesday of each month,10.15am-11.45am
Wimborne Library, Fridays, 2pm-4pm

Cuppa and Company
Wimborne Library, Mondays, 10.30am-12.30pm
Ferndown Library, Thursdays, 2pm-4pm

Craft and Cuppa, Ferndown Library
Fourth Thursday of each month, 10.15am-11.45am

Wimborne Men’s Shed,
Wimborne Community Garden
Third Saturday of each month, 9.30am-11am

North Dorset

Blandford

Cuppa and company, Blandford Library
Mondays, 10am-12pm

The Blandford Men’s Shed, Milldown Road
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4pm-7pm
Saturdays (hours may vary)

Quilt Therapy – Ladies Group, Charlton Marshall
Thursdays, 10.30am-12.30pm

Café Social, Crown Hotel
Fridays, 11am-1pm

Coffee Morning, Durweston Village Hall
Fridays from 10am

Gillingham

Health Walks, Gillingham Library
Mondays from 2.30pm
Gillingham Town Meadow, Tuesdays from 2.30pm

Coffee Companions, Gillingham Library
Mondays, 11am-12pm

Cuppa and Company, Gillingham Library
Tuesdays, 2pm-4pm

Gillingham Art Club, Gillingham Library
Thursdays, 10.30am-12.15pm

Craft and Chat, Gillingham Library
Thursdays, 10.30am-12.30pm

Shaftesbury

Cuppa and Company, Shaftesbury Library
Mondays and Fridays, 10.30am-11.30am

Knit and Natter, Shaftesbury Library
Tuesdays, 10am-12pm

Chatter and Natter, the Black Cactus
Wednesdays, 2.30pm-3.30pm

Cafe Social, The Grosvenor Arms
Thursdays, 2pm-4pm

Breakfast Club, St Andrews Fontmell Magna
First Sunday of each month, 9am onwards

Sherborne

Embellishers, Bishops Caundle &
Caundle Marsh Village Hall
First Monday of each month 10am-3pm

Longburton Village Café, St James the Great
Fortnightly on Tuesdays, 10.30am-12pm

Short Mat Bowling, Bishops Caundle &
Caundle Marsh Village Hall
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2.15pm

Café Social, Oliver’s 19 Cheap Street
Thursdays, 11am-1pm

Sturminster Newton

Health Walks, The Medical Centre
Mondays, 2.30pm-3.30pm

Craft and Chat, Sturminster Newton Library
fourth Tuesday of each month, 2.30pm-4pm

Café Social, Stur of the Moment Café
Thursdays, 11am-1pm

Crafting Group, The Vale Family Hub
Thursdays, 1pm-3pm

Cuppa and Company, Sturminster Newton Library
Fridays, 10.30am-12.30pm

South East Dorset

Poole and Purbeck

Cuppa and Company, Mondays
Swanage Library, 10.30am-12.30pm
Wareham Library, 2.30pm-4.30pm

Knit and Natter, Tuesdays
Swanage Library, 10.30am-12.30pm
Oakdale Library, 2.15pm-4pm

Games Club, Sweet Home Inn
Tuesdays, from 2pm

Ladies What Sew Adult Craft Group, Broadstone Library
Wednesdays, 10am-12pm

Poole Men’s Shed, Limelights Centre
Wednesdays, 10am-1pm

Adult Board Games, Hamworthy Library
Wednesdays, 10.30am onwards

Healthy Walks Group, Rossmore Library
Wednesdays, 10.30am onwards

Chitter Chatter Club, The Canford Hotel
Wednesdays, 2.30pm-4pm

Adult Colouring, Canford Heath Library
Thursdays, 10am-12pm

Knit and Natter, Lytchett Mattravers Library
Thursdays, 10am-12pm

Adult Games Morning, Creekmoore Library
Thursdays, 10.30am-12.30pm

Knit and Natter
Broadstone Library
Canford Heath Library
Lytchett Matravers Library
Fridays, 10am-12pm

Knit, Sew and Natter, St John’s Church, Surrey Road
Fridays, 10am-12pm

Little Moments Cafe, the D’Urberville Centre
Fridays, 10am-12pm

Coffee Morning and Knit and Natter,
Hamworthy Library, Fridays, 10.30am-12pm

Board Games Club, Poole Library
Fortnightly on Fridays, 1pm-3pm

Mindfulness Colouring, Canford Cliffs Library
Fridays, 2pm-4.30pm

South West Dorset

Dorchester

Chitter Chatter Club, Vivo Lounge
Mondays, 10am-12pm

Cuppa and Company, Dorchester Library
Wednesdays, 10.30am-12.30pm

Garden Volunteering, Wolfeton Manor Care Home
Fridays, 11am-1pm

Café Social, Vivo Lounge
Fridays 1.30pm-3pm

Adult Craft Sessions, Dorchester Library
Second Saturday of each month, 11am-12pm

Portland

Brain Games (50+), Easton Methodist Church
Mondays, 1pm-3pm

Cuppa and Company, Portland Library
Mondays, 10.30am-12pm

The Portland Shed
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9.30am-12.30pm
Saturdays, 10am-2pm
(Closed second Saturday of each month)

Chat A Latte, C200 Hall, All Saints Church
Fortnightly on Wednesdays, 11am-1pm

Weymouth

ANDYSMANCLUB, Dry Dock
Mondays, from 7pm

Cuppa and Company, Weymouth Library
Mondays, 2.30pm-4.30pm

Knit and Natter, Weymouth Library
Tuesdays, 10.30am-12.30pm

Women’s Wellbeing Group, Dry Dock
Tuesdays, from 10.30am

Indoor Skittles, Centenary Club
Wednesdays, 11am-1pm

Café Social, Nautico Lounge
Thursdays, 11am-1pm

West Dorset

Beaminster

Creative Collage, Tangerine Café,
Second Monday of the month, 2pm-3.30pm

Free Community Café, Beaminster Pavillion
Last Monday of the month, 2pm-4pm

Cuppa and Company, Beaminster Library
Tuesdays, 10am-12pm

Only for Blokes, Prout Bridge Project
Tuesdays (during school term time), 10am-12pm

Beaminster Health Walk, Tunnel Road Surgery
First, second fourth and fifth Wednesday of
each month from 11.30am

Ripple Kitchen Workshop, Prout Bridge Project
Fridays (during school term time), 10am-11.30am

Games Club, Prout Bridge Project
First Saturday of the month, 10am-1pm
Under 25s

The Volt, DJ Night, Prout Bridge Project
First Saturday of the month, 8pm-10.30pm
Under 25s

Repair Café, Netherbury Village Hall
Last Sunday of the month, 10am-12pm

Bridport

Drop-in sessions, Bridport Community Shed
Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am-12pm

Arts and Crafts, The Harmony Centre
Mondays, 10.30am-1pm

Pilates, The Harmony Centre
Mondays, 2.30pm-3.30pm

Nosh & Natter, BYCC
Fourth Monday of each month, 6pm onwards

Men’s Wellness Group, BYCC
Fortnightly on Mondays, 7.30pm-9.30pm

Reading Group, Bridport Library
First Tuesday of each month, 2pm-3pm

The Harmony Garden, Community Orchard
Tuesdays, 11am-1pm

Board Game Blowout, Chapel in the Garden
Tuesdays, 1.45pm-3.15pm

Men’s Health Walk, St Mary’s Playing Field
Tuesdays, 2pm-4pm

Bridport Health Walks, Bridport United Church
Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9.45am

Coffee & Cake, The Chapel in the Garden
Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am-12pm

START Cookery Club, The Harmony Centre
Second and Fourth Thursday of the month 11.30am-1.30pm

Cuppa and Company, Bridport Library
Fridays, 10am-12pm

Creation Station, Bridport Library
Saturdays, 10am-1pm

Knit & Natter, Bridport Library
Saturdays, 1.30pm-3pm

Lyme Regis

Cuppa & Company, Lyme Regis Library
Tuesdays, 10.15am-12.15pm

Poetry Appreciation, Lyme Regis Library
First Tuesday of each month, 11.15am-12.15pm

Craft and Chat, The Hub Café
Wednesdays, 1.30pm-3.30pm

Community Café, The Hub
Thursdays and Fridays, 9.30am-2.30pm

Craft & Chat, Lyme Regis Library
Fridays, 2pm-3.30pm

Board Game Saturdays, Lyme Regis Library
Saturdays, 10.30am-12.30pm

Maiden Newton

Lunch Club (for older people), Village Hall
Third Wednesday of each month, from 12.15pm

Art Club, Village Hall,
Wednesdays, 2pm-4.30pm

Maiden Newton Runners,
Monday and Wednesday Evenings