The encouraging message is part of a mini-campaign being run by the group as it invites anyone looking to expand their social circle, for whatever the reason, to give one of their friendly meetups a try.
A recent survey¹ of 138 Oddfellows members showed the top three reasons behind initially giving their group a try was to spend time with people (77.54%), to build a new circle of friends (65.22%) and to get out the house more (58.7%).
“These figures show that people are not alone in how they feel. Our members have experienced this. It’s essential for us as humans to socialise and to spend time with others
“Knowing what steps you can take to meet new people as an adult, however, is often the stumbling block. That’s where we come in.”
Each month, Albert Oddfellows hosts around four events in and around Hitchin to give people easy routes to mix with others locally, and to take part in a wide variety of interesting activities. Its group is made up of 230 mostly older and retired local members.
The group has suggested the following two upcoming meetups as great first-try events. These are a coffee morning at Poplars Garden Centre (LU5 6HE) on Tuesday, March 4, 10:30am and lunch at the Millstream Pub (SG4 0JH) on Thursday, March 13 at midday.
Added Sam: “We’ll gladly send you a list of what events are coming up so you can take a look at what appeals to you.
“We’ve a great bunch of people in our group who come along on their own, as a couple, or with friends, and there’s always a designated host who will look out for you. Everything is organised, so you just need to turn up and enjoy yourself.”
Almost all of the Oddfellows’ members surveyed (97.83%) also agreed that it was important to regularly participate in interesting activities in later life, with the most cited reason being to keep the mind and body active.
Reassuring anyone nervous about giving the group a try for themselves, Sam added: “Don’t feel worried about whether you’ll fit in. Just come along. You've nothing to lose. You can always have a chat with the host before.”
The Oddfellows also runs around 70 free, online social events through Zoom each month which are open to the general public.
Albert Oddfellows is one of 99 branches that make up the Oddfellows’ nationwide network, which is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the UK.
The Oddfellows aims to improve its members’ lives through friendship and support. As well as its events, Oddfellows members can access a variety of benefits including care and welfare support and a travel club. There are also opportunities to volunteer and take part in fundraising initiatives.
To find out more about Albert Oddfellows and its upcoming events, get in touch with Sam on samantha.johnson@oddfellows.co.uk or call 07984 530287.
To request a free local information pack, or to see what events are coming up, visit www.oddfellows.co.uk/activities