Friends to make new house a home

Updated: 28 Jan 2025

A grandmother who moved 200 miles to a town where she didn’t know anyone has praised the Oddfellows for making her feel at home.

Eileen (right) and Jacqui (left) met at their local Oddfellows friendship group in Chesterfield

Eileen Clifton, 70, made the bold decision to move from Kent to Derbyshire in June 2022 because she wanted to move into a house with a garden, and moving further north made economic sense. But she never imagined the friends she would make along the way.

Eileen, who joined the local Derbyshire Peak Oddfellows friendship group within six weeks of moving to Chesterfield, said: “I am incredibly happy here. I desperately wanted a garden because I love gardening, and I had little choice but to move away from Kent to afford one.

"I didn’t really worry about making friends because I was focussed on the house, but the friends I’ve made through the Oddfellows have been the icing on the cake. It’s nice to have someone to share my new experiences with.”

We’ve been to some lovely places and done things I never would have on my own. Eileen

Eileen, who had no idea where Chesterfield was until she saw a house online and fell in love with it, added: “As soon as I saw the new build advertised, it just felt right. I loved the house and it felt like a home straight away, but I was keen to get to know the area and make new friends. I’d been a member of the Oddfellows in Maidstone, so knew joining the local Branch would be a great opportunity.”

She added: “The Oddfellows has been fantastic in helping me settle in, as well as making friends. I’ve also learned so much about the area through the organised events and walks.

“We’ve been to some lovely places and done things I never would have on my own. This week we’ve been to the races and before that we went on a steam train which was a great day out.”

Chances to meet people locally

Eileen, who has two children and two grown-up grandchildren, particularly enjoys going to the evening meals, day trips and walks in the countryside, and also hails the society as a springboard for expanding her social life outside of the group.

Among Eileen’s new friends is Jacqui, 60, who joined the same Branch at a similar time.

Eileen said: “The Oddfellows has been wonderful and welcoming, and I love going to the events, but it’s also helped me meet people who I can do things separate from the group.

“I met Jacqui at one of my first events and she was in a similar situation to me, so we naturally started getting to know each other. Now, we have become close friends and we meet up outside of the Oddfellows too. We have enjoyed a nice weekend in Liverpool and even spent Christmas Day together, which was nice.”

Eileen, a retired legal secretary, said she would recommend the friendship group to anybody looking to meet more people and get to know the area they live in.

“I was quite nervous about my first Oddfellows event – I didn’t really want to walk into the pub on my own, so I waited in the car park until I saw a couple arrive and asked if I could tag along with them. I needn’t have worried, they were all so very welcoming,” she said. “It helps to have a fantastic organiser like Trudy, who comes up with some great events for us to go to. She’s very thoughtful and puts in a lot of effort to find things that we will all enjoy.”

Jacqui and Eileen also spend time together outside of the Oddfellows

She added: “To anyone who’s hesitating about joining the Oddfellows I’d say, jump right in. Everyone is so welcoming and friendly. If, like me, you are unsure of going along on your own, you can ring up before hand to let them know you are coming and someone will be waiting for you.”

Jacqui, who also lives in Chesterfield, said: “I joined after I separated from my husband because all my friends were married.

“I moved to a different area and was looking online to learn about the local parks to walk my dogs and saw an Oddfellows advert and thought it sounded good.

“One thing we loved to do, and I really missed when we separated, was going out for food, so I joined the Oddfellows because it meant I could still enjoy those things even if I didn’t have a partner to do them with.

...there are lots of events and even if you don’t fancy some of them, it’s a good opportunity to meet other people that you can then do other things with. Jacqui

“Meeting Eileen has been great because it’s nice to have someone to go to Oddfellows events with, but we also like to meet up for coffee and lunch at other times too, so it gives me that companionship I was missing.

“I would recommend the Oddfellows to anyone, there are lots of events and even if you don’t fancy some of them, it’s a good opportunity to meet other people that you can then do other things with. My advice would be to go to a coffee morning or something like that because you can sit in groups and get to know a few people at time. It’s very easy and very welcoming!”

Members of Derbyshire Peak Oddfellows get together regularly at its group's social events

Lucy Halliday, who is the Branch Secretary at Derbyshire Peak Oddfellows, said: “It’s been a pleasure to welcome Eileen and Jacqui to our group and it’s great to see that they’ve also formed a supportive friendship outside of the Oddfellows.

“It’s what we’re all about, helping to create opportunities for friendships to form and flourish.”

She added: “There are so many opportunities here at the Oddfellows, whether you want to meet people with similar interests, explore your new neighbourhood or get involved in the community – there’s something for everyone.”

Oddfellows friendship groups

We're always ready to welcome new members to our local Oddfellows friendship groups. You can find your nearest by using our Branch Finder, or use our Events Finder to search for social events and activities happening near to where you live.

Give the Oddfellows a try. There's no obligation to join. Contact us to request your free information pack and local events diary. 

Read more advice on making friends and building social confidence in our friendship guides section.