People in Lancashire encouraged to enter Hobby Hero competition to win £5,000 prize

Eventbrite announced its ‘Hobby Hero’ competition, which aims to find Britain’s greatest hobbyist and help them share their pastime with others in an effort to get the nation connected again.

The initiative is supported by one of the world leading experts on wellbeing, Professor Cary Cooper, who advocates using hobbies to boost mental health.

The ticketing and event platform is now calling on people in Lancashire to enter a national competition to win a £5,000 prize – £2,500 in cash and £2,500 worth of Eventbrite fee credits and expert mentoring to share their passion with others – by revealing all about their curious, creative and meaningful hobbies.

A recent survey by the Pew Institute asked people around the world to list what gives them meaning and happiness in life, and Britain was the only country in the world to put ‘hobbies’ in its top three answers, alongside family and friends.

By definition, hobbies bring people pleasure and can positively impact mental health and wellbeing, offering the opportunity to lose themselves in an absorbing activity, stretch their skills and meet with others.

Hobbies can be enjoyed by anyone, and celebrities are no different.

Beyonce is known for her love of beekeeping, Seth Rogan has spread his love of pottery on social media and Julia Roberts is famous in the knitting community.

Psychologist Professor Cary Cooper said: “The pandemic, the rising cost of living, and Brexit have left people feeling stressed and out of control.

"People want to do something they can control, and hobbies offer just that. They can boost your wellbeing because whether you’re knitting, running, hula hooping, abseiling or baking: hobbies offer a great way to take your mind from the stresses of the world and work, take you away from the screen and let you do something positive, creative and fulfilling.

“Enjoying a hobby with someone else or in groups is even more beneficial because it provides motivation and social connection.

"Many people take up a hobby to form new friendships, even if it’s an unconscious thing to them.

"Even those hobbies that seem insular at first, such as model airplane building or stamp collecting, usually extend our social network as those hobbyists will end up flying their plane or discussing engine problems with others and stamp collectors will swap and buy from one another.

“After two years of social isolation, it’s a joy to see people connecting through hobbies that bring them pleasure and, depending on what you do, improve physical fitness, memory or mood. I recommend taking up a new hobby to many people.”

In-person and online activities on Eventbrite such as beekeeping, pottery and yoga helped attendees stay occupied throughout the pandemic.

During the lockdowns, Eventbrite saw thousands either continue to pursue their interests or take up new hobbies by joining online workshops and classes.

Eventbrite’s Sebastian Boppert said: “As we move out of the pandemic, we want to help the nation reconnect through live events.

"Hobbies are great for our health, they enhance our skills and allow us to make new friends.

"It’s time we celebrated our hobbies – from the weird and wacky to the crafty and creative – for the benefits they give us and the talent they produce.

"Our Hobby Hero winner will be someone with enthusiasm and dedication who wants to share it with others and maybe even earn some money with it.”

To enter Eventbrite’s search for Britain’s Hobby Hero, simply visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/blog/hobby-hero and fill out the short entry form on behalf of yourself or someone else.

Semi-finalists will be chosen from each region in the UK to reach the national final and a panel of judges will choose the winner.

The deadline for entries is Wednesday June 15.