Our Community Update

Dear Dopamine Dolls community,

We want to share an important update about the future of Dopamine Dolls and what it means for our community.

Dopamine Dolls was founded to create a positive, inclusive space where women and non-binary people living with ADHD could come together to support one another, share experiences and enjoy time together through social activities and events. Through our support groups, coffee catch-ups, Dopamine Daunders, Dopamine Discussions and creative workshops, it has been wonderful to see so many of you come together in such a meaningful way.

We want to be honest with you. Our trustees and organisers have given their time voluntarily and with real care and commitment, but it has become clear that sustaining Dopamine Dolls as a registered charity (with all the governance and compliance that requires) is no longer something we are able to do sustainably.

After significant consideration, the board has made the decision to dissolve Dopamine Dolls as a registered charity. But we want to be really clear: the community itself is not disappearing.

We also want to be honest about something else. Over time, we noticed that attendance at our formal support groups was inconsistent and we understand why. Life with ADHD is unpredictable, and the commitment of attending a structured session at a set time is not always possible or what people need. What we heard again and again from our community was a desire for connection and to be around people who just get it, without pressure or expectation. We believe that moving towards a more informal, flexible model is not just what we are able to offer, but genuinely what serves this community best and that feels like the right place to land.

Before we share what comes next, we want you to know that our support groups and coffee catch-ups are continuing as planned throughout May. If you have sessions booked or usually attend, please do keep coming. We would love to see you there and these will be a lovely opportunity to connect before we transition to our new model.

We will be continuing as an informal community with the same name, same people, same warmth but without the formal charity structure. Think of it less as attending an organised support events and more as friends agreeing to meet up. We have already planned our first get-together for June and cannot wait to share the details with you soon.

We would also love your input on the kinds of things you would like to do, whether that is walks, coffee, cinema trips, creative activities or anything else. This community was always built around what you need, and that is not changing.

To help us stay connected, we have set up a Dopamine Dolls WhatsApp community where we will share upcoming events, gather your thoughts on what we do next and share photos from our get-togethers. If you would like to join, simply send us a DM on Instagram or Facebook, or drop us an email at admin@dopaminedolls.co.uk and we will send you a personal invite.

We know this news may bring up a lot of feelings, and we want to acknowledge that.This community has meant so much to all of us too. We want you to know that this decision has not been made lightly.

The community we have built was always the heart of Dopamine Dolls. We hope you will continue to be part of it.

The Dopamine Dolls Board