A friendly, no-pressure community gathering every second Tuesday of every month, for people who want to build better habits, cut screen time, and actually connect.
Recently, it feels like we can all agree on one thing — we're spending more and more time on our phones. Alongside that, we're seeing the impact on mental health becoming more serious, affecting not just children and teenagers, but adults too.
Nobile isn't some extreme movement claiming that phones are entirely bad. But research shows that many apps are intentionally designed to keep us hooked, from endless scrolling to features inspired by slot machines. The longer we stay on them, the more money is made. It raises an important question — are these platforms really designed with our wellbeing in mind?
Nobile isn't about quitting phones altogether. It's about creating a community of people who want to use them more consciously — and spend more time in the real world. This isn't about rules or pressure, it's about intention.
A tight-knit group of people, not a mass movement. Quality over quantity.
Set your own targets around reducing phone use — no one else decides for you.
Get back to hobbies, creativity, and the people and places that actually matter.
Help each other make small, meaningful changes without pressure or judgement.
Nobody's asking you to throw your phone in a river. Just use it a bit more deliberately.
Technology is brilliant. The problem is the design that turns useful tools into compulsions.
If you're reading this on your phone, you're not a bad person. Let's just get that straight.
No rules about how you live your life. Just a gentle offer to rebalance, not remove.
It's intentionally simple. The first step is to bring together around 10 people. The first meeting will focus on one thing — what each person wants to achieve.
Meet once a month — Tuesday evenings at the Carlton Club, Whalley Range.
Introduce yourself and share what you'd like to get back to or achieve.
Set a personal intention — for example, putting the phone away from 5pm every Tuesday.
Come back next month and share how it went. No pressure, just honesty.
Once 10 people have signed up, we'll set the first date and reach out to everyone.
113 Carlton Road, Whalley Range, Manchester — a proper local venue, not a corporate space.
No preparation needed. Just turn up and be honest.
There's no right answer or prescribed solution. Everyone's journey is their own.
Optional — a hobby, a goal, or just an honest thought about your phone habits.
There won't be any interrogation about phone usage. This isn't about judging habits — it's about trying something different, together.
be one of the first 10There will be a simple online space — desktop-only — where members can connect between meetups. Nothing is compulsory. The focus is relaxed and positive.
Post what you've been making, creating, or exploring offline.
Talk honestly about what's working, what's harder than expected, and what's changed.
Cheer people on. A small amount of encouragement goes a very long way.
It's a fair question. If we're saying mobile phones are having a negative impact on society, where does AI fit into all of this?
As a designer, I was reluctant at first — especially knowing it will replace some jobs. That concern hasn't gone away.
AI helped get Nobile off the ground quickly — something that would've taken months and thousands to build otherwise.
From using it daily, I can confidently say it won't replace human creativity or thinking. It opens doors for charities, individuals, and anyone wanting to start something without a big budget. Like everything — it's about how we choose to use it.
be one of the first 10For a while, I've loved doing creative projects around Chorlton. Two of them shaped why Nobile exists.
The Playing Cards — I placed cards around Chorlton and Manchester. Actually doing it, rather than staying on my phone watching others, opened doors I never expected.
The Wingers — a series of birdboxes around Chorlton, each with a QR code linking to the bird's story and favourite music. I reached out to the community, expecting little. The response was incredible — a WhatsApp group, volunteers, real friendships. It remains one of the most amazing things I've ever been part of.
Like The Wingers, but instead of one shared project — everyone has their own thing to pursue.
Put the phone down, even just for a few hours. Create, explore, connect. Small changes, real impact.
The average adult spends nearly five hours on their phone every day, more than many spend with family.
Once every ten waking minutes. Each check chips away at focus, mood, and your ability to just be.
Heavy phone use is linked to a significant rise in anxiety, especially late-night scrolling.
Three-quarters of us sleep with our phone beside us. Blue light and alerts are silently wrecking our rest.
More than half of smartphone users admit they can't control how much they use their phone. You're not alone.
Average two hours a day on social media adds up to 30 full days a year. Gone. Every year.
Every phone check mid-task costs you 23 minutes of deep focus. Multiply that by 96 daily unlocks.
Nearly half of teenagers feel anxious, upset, or lonely when separated from their phone. It starts young.
A third of adults wake during the night and reach for their phone. Sleep suffers. So does everything else.
That's how often the average person unlocks their phone. What if even half those moments were yours again?
"I sit down to make something and two hours later I'm still scrolling. My best ideas used to come from boredom. Now I'm never bored, and I'm making less than ever."
join the club"I train hard and eat well. But I'm sleeping badly and always half-present. I didn't connect it to the phone until my coach pointed it out."
join the club"My daughter asked me why I'm always looking at my phone when we're together. I didn't have an answer. That was six months ago."
join the club"I open Instagram and I feel worse. I open TikTok and three hours disappear. I want to stop but I don't know anyone who actually has."
join the club"I'm reachable 24/7 and I let it happen. The phone blurs work and life until there's no difference. I haven't had a proper weekend in years."
join the club"I sit down to revise and end up on my phone. My concentration is genuinely terrible and I think the phone is a big part of it."
join the club"I don't have a specific problem I can point to. I just know I'm on my phone too much. That feeling of wasting time, of being half-present, is enough."
join the club"I'm in loads of online groups and I've barely met any of them. I want to actually be in a room with people again, doing something that feels real."
join the clubNobile is a relaxed, open monthly gathering for people who want to think more carefully about their relationship with their phone.
No pressure. No lectures. No apps. Just a room of honest people figuring it out together.
Every second Tuesday. Come once or make it a regular thing, entirely up to you.
Share what's working, what isn't, or just listen. No agenda, only honest conversation.
Small, realistic changes. Not a digital detox, just what actually works for real people.
The average person reclaims over 30 hours a month when they start being intentional about their phone. That's a whole weekend, every month.
People who stop using their phone before bed report falling asleep faster and waking genuinely rested within a week.
Measurable drops in anxiety within two weeks of reducing social media use. No medication, just less scrolling.
When you're genuinely present, at dinner, with friends, with your kids, the quality of those moments doubles.
Notifications fragment your attention even when ignored. Reducing them restores your ability to go deep on what matters.
Constant comparison quietly erodes how we feel about ourselves. Breaking the cycle brings a surprising lift in confidence.
The hours you spend scrolling could be spent on things you actually love. They're all still there waiting.
When enough people register their interest, we'll hold the first nobile meetup, a proper gathering of people who are done letting their phone run the show.
As the community grows, we're planning mobile-free weekend adventures, days out, trips, and experiences where you actually show up, phone in pocket, present for once.
Second Tuesday of every month, 7pm.
113 Carlton Road, Whalley Range, Manchester M16 8BE
Walks, markets, parks, coastlines. Group adventures where the rule is simple: phone stays in your bag.
Proper overnight trips for the community. Somewhere with no signal and no reason to check.
Just a few details, we'll let you know as soon as we're ready to set the date.
once we hit 10 members, we'll set the date.
Sign up below and you'll be the first to know when we're ready to hold the first meetup at The Carlton Club, Whalley Range.
register your interestWhen we have enough people, we'll set the date. You'll be the first to know. In the meantime, try leaving your phone in another room tonight.