Many of us are seeking and starting new hobbies to see us through the remaining darker days and lift our spirits. The hobbies Brits are currently most interested in beginning or expanding, are revealed by research using Google trends for December 2021 and January 2022. The percentage increase in recorded trends for each hobby during these months shows our main interests as follows; 1 Upcycling 25.79 per cent 2 Woodworking 21.05 per cent 3 Pottery 20.76 per cent 4 Rugby 16.33 per cent 5 Photography 15.14 per cent 6 Zumba 12.91 per cent 7 Needlework 11.29 per cent 8 Tennis 10.62 per cent 9 Miniature models 9.94 per cent 10 Bird watching 7.90 per cent Coming in top is upcycling with an average Google Trends increase of 25.79 per cent. Upcycling is the process of repurposing unused materials or products and turning them into new objects of value, whether artistic or environmental. It’s one of the most creative hobbies out there, and anything goes, from using fabrics as gift wrap or kitchen crockery as plant pots or bird feeders. Let your imagination run riot. In second place is woodworking, with an average increase in Google Trends of 21.05 per cent.New woodworkers don’t always need tools and materials worth thousands of pounds to get started - it can be done on a very simple basis. Some woodworking processes, such as restoration, take place over time. The hobby can vary from easy furniture-making and home carpentry to more complex and skilled wood carving and turning. You will need to learn how to measure, cut, attach and assemble, depending on your personal project, and which tools to use. In third place is pottery with 20.76 per cent, with many possibly inspired by a new season of ‘The Great Pottery Throw Down’ currently being released on Channel 4. It’s known for being relaxing and there are many starter kits out there. Whether you invest in a potter’s wheel, or go for hand-building, you can use a variety of techniques to build your pots and later paint them. Following on are rugby with 16.33 per cent, for those who like a contact sport and don’t mind a bit of mud along with the fresh air and exercise. More clubs and teams are evolving with an increasing number of girls and women taking up the sport. Photography with 15.14 per cent is fifth in popularity. Just pick up your camera and go, then have fun later forming your images as you wish, using the many digital techniques that are now available. Platforms to showcase photographs include Instagram and Facebook, along with many devoted websites, and plenty of communities have camera clubs to meet like-minded people and share projects. Zumba, an energetic form of dance fitness to music ranks sixth with 12.91 per cent, and the quieter pastime of needlework is seventh most popular with 11.29 per cent. This latter requires little in terms of set-up and can be a creative sole pastime, or one shared with others within a group. Another sport, tennis, ranks eighth with 10.62 per cent, and ninth, with 9.94 per cent, is the hobby of miniature models - scale modelling of aeroplanes, houses, or whatever appeals. Bird watching is at number 10 with 7.90 per cent. Something you can do alone, in couples, or with other enthusiastic ‘twitchers’, this wildlife hobby can become a huge interest, and can take you to new and interesting places. The research was carried out by experts at DIYS.com