I'm not that active in activism or work due to health issues but would like to be in contact with other Anarchists. I'm based in the N/E of England. Would people, in general, recommend joining these groups even though locally they are kind of non-active. Are there any social and intellectual benefits to joining or would it just be subs disappearing out of my already strained bank account with little to show for it?
IMO, absolutely do not join a
IMO, absolutely do not join a group you have no experience of, I'd recommend contacting them (and maybe the CWO if you have any interest in their flavour of left communism?), meeting up with their local members, and then if you click with them maybe consider joining at some point down the line. Also idk how far you're prepared to travel but Teesside Solidarity Movement always sound like they do some worthwhile stuff. You could maybe try and contact these people as well? tynesideanarchistarchive.wordpress.com/contact
Tl;dr version: you can totally have conversations with people, and even work on projects with them, without paying membership fees.