Swansea City AFC Foundation celebrate one year of Cwtch Coffee Mornings
Swansea City AFC Foundation staff and Cwtch Coffee Morning participants have joined together to mark one year of the popular social catch-ups.
Since the coffee mornings were launched in November 2022, the Foundation's health and wellbeing team have hosted 50 gatherings, which have supported, on average, 20 participants per session.
Cwtch Coffee Mornings take place every Tuesday between 9.30am and 11.30am in The Cwtch at the Swansea.com Stadium, and aim to help tackle isolation and loneliness within our community by encouraging social interaction and providing a free hot drink to all attendees.
Swansea City's honourary club president Alan Curtis MBE and club ambassador Lee Trundle were among those to join the celebration, which included a keenly-contested quiz for the participants to pit their wits against.
The sessions have helped engender a sense of belonging among attendees, with many forming friendships and enjoying each other's company.
Tony May was the first participant through the door 12 months ago. He is still a regular at Cwtch Coffee Mornings and loves the camaraderie he experiences.
“It’s the people that make me want to keep coming back,” he said.
“I’ve made some very good friends here and I think it’s good to appreciate that not everyone is as fortunate as yourself.
"Some people have mental health struggles, so it’s nice to just sit there and listen to each other because it’s good to be a good listener and make people feel better. They might not speak to anyone for the rest of the week so it’s important.
“This has been fantastic. Everyone has put the effort in and I’ve really enjoyed it.
“I really appreciate the time the staff and people at the club put in. I know Alan and Lee are both busy, but it’s nice that they took the time to come down here. The coffee mornings are something I look forward to each week."
Caroline Gwilym, the Foundation's health and wellbeing lead, set up the Cwtch Coffee Mornings and has been delighted by what a success it has proved to be. But she is keen to see the sessions continue to grow.
“It was a real celebratory feel to the morning this week. There were lots of activities and laughter, and it was great to see people who have been here since the beginning and new people as well. It was a real celebration,” she said.
“The time has just flown by, it’s hard to believe it’s a year ago that we started. The sessions have grown from strength to strength every week. Originally we thought they might just be a drop-in with people coming and going, but we now have a core of 20 attendees every week.
“I’d like to think that Cwtch Coffee Mornings are going to continue to go from strength to strength. We’re quite determined to run it every week, so it’s a regular and routine place for people to come, where they know what the arrangements are so they’re comfortable in their surroundings.
“I’d love to see more people coming as well. There’re always opportunities for new people to come and it is a drop-in, so there’s no pressure. You can come one week and maybe then you can’t make it, but that’s absolutely fine. It's here for when people need it."
The month of November is dedicated to men’s mental health and the Foundation is proud to be supporting Movember, which was the theme of this week’s Cwtch Coffee session.
“It’s really important to share with our participants what’s going on, and Movember is a really good campaign to get behind,” added Caroline.
“We used this session to raise awareness of prostate cancer and men’s health generally. We did it through a fun quiz, so it was a really positive way of raising awareness.
“We really appreciate Lee and Alan coming this morning. People just love to be in their company, they’re so open with everyone as well, whether it’s a photo opportunity or a signed shirt. It just really raises the occasion."
Click HERE to register your interest in Cwtch Coffee Mornings or, for more information, contact caroline@swansfoundation.org.uk.