A resounding ‘YES’ to Friendship Month

Published: 08 Oct 2025

This Friendship Month, we’ve been encouraging people to say ‘yes’ to trying new things, making new friends, and discovering all the brilliant things on offer at our Branches across the nation.

Colchester Oddfellows on a day out during Friendship Month

It’s safe to say, September 2025 has been another fabulous celebration of friendship, with around 250 Friendship Month taster events taking place up and down the country.

In wholehearted agreement is Oddfellows CEO, Jane Nelson.

“Friendship Month 2025 has once again demonstrated what the Oddfellows is all about, and I’m thankful of every single person up and down the country who had been a part of it," shared Jane.

“Saying ‘yes’ to trying new things can be daunting, but you’ve all done an excellent job of showing how positive it is to be part of a friendship group like ours."

She added: "Thank you for saying ‘yes’ to helping make your Friendship Month events a success, whether that’s organising an activity, serving cups of tea, or simply making people feel welcome and comfortable. It all adds up to another wonderful celebration of friendship.”

Friendship in your community

Bradford Oddfellows' walking group enjoying some good weather

In local communities throughout the country, people have been enjoying companionship during September, whether that’s with people they’ve known for a while, or it’s the first time they’ve met.

Samantha Johnson is a Social Organiser at Albert Oddfellows, which has members and hosts events in and around Hitchin, Dunstable and Stevenage. She said: “What a fantastic Friendship Month we’ve had! We welcomed friends old and new, tried new activities, dined out and had brilliant speakers join our coffee mornings.

“Thank you to all that came along and a warm welcome to our new members – we’re very much looking forward to seeing you all at our upcoming events.”

Albert Oddfellows got creative during Friendship Month

This sentiment is shared by Tara Carlisle, Social Organiser at Heart of the West Oddfellows, who said: “We launched a brand-new group in Torquay for this year's Friendship Month and over 30 new faces turned up. It was quite hectic but so rewarding to see a group of strangers connecting, chatting, and smiling.

“There was so much effort and planning behind the scenes, but it all feels worth it when you see how much of a difference it can make to those who are looking for a bit more company. It's the best part of my job!”

Part of that planning includes getting the word out to let people know friendship is on their doorstep. Lots of our branches were busy on Facebook, putting up posters, and appearing in the press.

In the news

Suzanne Armstrong, Social Organiser at Northumbria Oddfellows, not only welcomed newcomers and established Oddfellows members at her new regular group in Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, but the BBC Look North cameras too.

She said: “It’s been amazing to see all kinds of people getting together and the positive effects that simply sharing a friendly chat over a cup of tea or coffee can do.

“Appearing on the local BBC news helped us to reach people that might not have heard about us before, and the response we’ve had since it aired just proves that there’s lots of people out there who would benefit from the friendship we can offer.”

Suzanne being interviewed on BBC Look North

Pals vs pounds and the power of ‘yes’

How do you quantify the value of friendship? Well, for Friendship Month 2025 we asked the nation if they’d choose cash over spending time with friends in a survey.*

It turns out over half of Brits, despite many admitting to feeling lonely, would opt for the cash.

Respondents said they were more likely to choose a mystery present worth £500 (48%) or receive £100 cash (47%), over going on a trip with good friends to somewhere fun (46%) or have a coffee and chat with someone new and interesting (21%).

Birmingham Oddfellows chose pals over pounds this Friendship Month

Choose friendship for long-term happiness

However, the Oddfellows is keen to point out that while cash may look tempting, especially in tough financial times, its impact is fleeting and could leave people feeling lonelier. Friendship plays a crucial role in sustaining long-term happiness and wellbeing, says the Oddfellows.

This is backed up by Dr Andy Cope, an expert on happiness who teamed up with the Society to help spread the Friendship Month message. He said: “If you ask people what their happiest memories are, they will pick examples where they were surrounded by people. The top 10 happiest moments in someone’s life are experiences not products. It’s about being with people you enjoy being around.”

Dr Cope also advocates the power that saying ‘yes’ has on improving lives and becoming happier. He added: “Saying ‘yes’ to something new will make you feel good and give you an emotional lift. It sparks curiosity, a sense of adventure and a boost of oxytocin – your brain’s feel-good chemical. In fact, research shows that engaging in meaningful and enjoyable experiences increases happiness, reduces stress, and strengthens resilience.

“Even small changes, like saying ‘yes’ to sitting somewhere other than your usual spot, or saying ‘yes’ to going out with a friend when you’d usually be doing your weekly crossword, will make a big difference to how we feel in that moment. It’s worth trying, even if you start small.”

Halifax Oddfellows said 'yes' to a day out in the sunshine

Beyond Friendship Month

Friendship isn’t just for September, and helping people spend time in good company is something we can help with year-round.

Our friendship groups have lots of wonderful events coming up, so if you didn’t manage to join us this September, there’s plenty more on the horizon. Your local Branch would love to welcome you, so why not discover what’s coming up?

Our Branch Finder will help you find the Branch closest to you, or use our Events Finder to search for local and online social events and activities.

Contact us to request your free membership information pack and local events diary. And for information on the wider benefits of membership, head to the benefits page.

Ipswich Oddfellows during Friendship Month 2025

*The Oddfellows commissioned Opinium to conduct a survey of 2,000 UK adults 5-8 August 2025.