Maff Potts

When times are tough, and we see the needs of the vulnerable within our society, do we look to government and authority to provide support, or do we take matters into our own hands? Maff Potts is someone who’s not willing to wait for others to take the lead. He founded the Association of Camerados when he recognised that – in these challenging times – we have to look out for each other. 

Matt’s simple belief is that we all have two needs – friendship and purpose – in order to survive. He argues that other well-intentioned interventions fail without this recognition. So the Camerados create spaces where people can find friendship – where they can meet and support each other through difficult times. These are places without hierarchy: no-one is there to provide ‘help’ or answers, and there are no labels like client, customer or ‘service user’.

From pitching teepees in hospitals to building ‘public living rooms’ in city streets, the Camerados are all about creating the comfort and intimacy people need in order to have valuable conversations.

Maff insists that he has created a movement and not an organisation. At Meaning 2019, he shared some very moving and inspiring evidence and invited us all to become Camerados too.

Connect with Maff

Follow Maff on Twitter

Visit the Camerados website