“IT’S not where you get together that counts - but that you’re just getting together.”
Emma Marshall is the social co-ordinator of friendship group Bradford Oddfellows, which is urging people not to cut back on socialising, as living costs continue to rise.
The organisation, which has more than 400 members in the district, many of them older or retired people, is becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of reduced social contact on mental health and wellbeing - a fall-out of the pandemic - and is trying to ensure that people continue to have access to affordable social events and opportunities as the economic crisis worsens.
Says Emma: “When you’re stretched financially, you have no choice but to look at how you can better budget or where to spend less. We want to remind people that socialising doesn’t need to be expensive.
“We saw the effect that spending less time in the company of others had on our members during the pandemic and we need to make sure that as we face another difficult time, we stay in touch and support each other.”
September is Friendship Month and to celebrate, Bradford Oddfellows is holding some affordable taster events designed to make newcomers feel at ease and give people the chance to experience the supportive benefits of joining a friendship group.
Events include a Mad Hatters Tea Party at Carlton House, Bradford, on September 2 at 2pm (£10 for afternoon tea), a Sing-along-Beatles at Woodbottom Social Club, Baildon, on September 22 at 7.30pm (£8 including a buffet and live entertainment) and a Friendship walk and picnic at Roberts Park, Saltaire, on September 26 at 10am (£4 for picnic lunch or free just for the walk).
“Nobody should be without company if they want it,” says Emma “If you’re finding it difficult to socialise in later life, or you’d like to build or extend your friendship circle, groups such as ours are a great way to meet like-minded people locally. We’d love to see you.”
For more than 200 years the Oddfellows have been helping people forge friendships and offering help in times of need.
Research carried out in August by the organisation shows that people aged 60-plus in the UK have on average four close friends, with three per cent revealing that they don’t have any. Nine out of 10 agreed that friends improved the quality of their life.
The study also revealed that 68 per cent of over-60s felt they could rely on their friends in times of need, with 65 per cent agreeing that friends help them get through difficult times.
Dr Jennifer Wild, an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at Oxford University and friend of the Oddfellows, describes friends as “precious protectors” - something you can never put a price on.
She says: “Friendship is a wonderful thing. Spending time with people who share our values and beliefs can be very motivating, and laughter with friends is proven to improve our mood.
“But friendship goes much deeper than that. The support that good friends provide can also be protective. Those with close companions they can lean on in tough times are less likely to suffer from depression. Friends offer perspectives more compassionate than our own, which helps to interrupt self-critical thinking and improves our problem-solving skill set.”
In addition to attending regular social events, members of Bradford Oddfellows can access information about financial benefits and welfare support, with the help of a care helpline and citizen’s advice team, and a travel club. Oddfellows membership costs from £25 a year.
Friendship Month, which began in 2011, is the Oddfellows’ annual awareness campaign to promote the benefits of friendship.
Established in 1810, the Oddfellows is one of the largest and oldest friendly societies in the UK, with 42,250 members across 113 branches nationwide.
Says Emma: “Studies have proved how regular company is essential to living a happier life. Most of us make friends through work, family or education. As we age and life changes, we have less access to these everyday social opportunities, which can contribute towards social isolation in a huge way.
“The Oddfellows are here to offer friendship and support.”
* To register an interest in attending an Oddfellows Friendship Month taster event, or for more information, contact Emma Marshall on 07432 047212, email emma.marshall@oddfellows.co.uk or go to www.friendshipmonth.com.
For more about the Oddfellows go to www.oddfellows.co.uk
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