Friendship Month 2022: Putting friendship in the frame

Updated: 28 Jan 2025

Join us as we look back over an incredible month of meeting up and making new friends across the UK.

Members get together at St Helens and Warrington Oddfellows.

Bringing people together

Over 150 free or inexpensive taster events were hosted by our branches this September – group walks and guest talks, coffee mornings, “crafternoons” and cream teas, to name a few. And they all had the same focus – to bring local people together and give them the chance of experiencing the benefits of joining a friendship group.

The community events were all part of the Oddfellows' annual Friendship Month celebration, which has been held every September since 2010.

Reflecting on this year's festivities, Oddfellows Spokesperson, Dawn Walters, said: "We've been through some incredibly difficult times as a nation and sadly it looks like we're facing more to come. It has been great to see how everyone has rallied together to support each other, especially at a time when friendship and staying in touch is very much needed.

“We're dedicated to promoting the value of friendship and in helping individuals, especially those who may otherwise feel lonely or isolated, try new experiences and make new connections. It’s what our annual campaign is all about."

 A great big "thank you!"

Dawn added: "We can't close Friendship Month without recognising our branches’ fantastic efforts in organising such an incredible calendar of events. Their enthusiasm and support means the world, and it makes all the difference to those discovering the Oddfellows for the first time, from being greeted at the door to getting to know somebody over a cup of tea.

“Thank you to all who hosted, volunteered and attended this year’s events. Every one of you demonstrated just how supportive, joyful and rewarding friendship truly is.”

We welcomed members both old and new to our two friendship month events, a free cream tea and a coffee morning. It was lovely to see old friends and make new ones - as well as welcoming 12 new members! Lynne Wyatt, Branch Secretary, Ipswich Oddfellows

Members in Ipswich met for a Cream Tea.

It was lovely to catch up with some members we have not seen for a while, either because they have moved away or still not really active because of Covid. We opted for local and low-cost events, which meant we had a much larger participation from the local community and everyone was relaxed, rather than a big all-singing and all-dancing affair. We held five events, all of which included food and/or cake. I need to think about going on a diet now! Doreen Sams, Branch Secretary, Grenville Oddfellows

Two Mid-Surrey Oddfellows members tucked into Friendship Month fish and chips.

Friendship through difficult times

There was a particularly important campaign message for Friendship Month this year, which was to encourage people to keep meeting up with friends for support in the face of the cost of living crisis.

We spoke with Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor at the University of Oxford, Dr Jennifer Wild, about the protective power of friendship.

She said: “Friends are vitally important to our wellbeing.

“Friendship is a wonderful thing. Spending time with people who share our values and beliefs can be very motivating and laughter with friends improves our mood.

“But friendship also goes much deeper than that. The support that good friends provides 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 improve our problem-solving skill set.”

Expert advice from Dr Jennifer Wild.

Research commissioned by the Oddfellows (Aug 2022) revealed that in light of the rising costs of living, one in 10 (12%) say they’re concerned about being able to afford to socialise with friends, and sadly one in 10 (10%) admit they have friends that can’t afford to meet up at the moment.

Reassuringly, the vast majority of those questioned (87%) value the importance of friendship saying it’s important to invest time in maintaining them. Most (77%) say that good friends are among the most important people in their life and 87% agree that having friends improves the quality of their life. 

It’s not where you get together that matters, but that you’re just getting together.” Dawn Walters, Spokesperson, The Oddfellows

Dawn explained that Oddfellows branches are always conscious about keeping event costs as low as possible.

She added: “As a Society with many members who are older or retired, we’re always concerned about the potential impact any reduced social contact could have on people’s mental health and wellbeing, a lesson learnt from the pandemic.

"When you’re stretched financially, you’ve no choice but to look at how you can better budget or where to spend less. 

“But we want to remind people that socialising doesn’t need to be expensive. It’s not where you get together that matters, but that you’re just getting together.”

Friendship and support is always available at the Oddfellows.

Friendship year-round

If you missed out on a Friendship Month taster event this year but would like to see what we’re all about, we'd love to see you at your local branch’s next event. You can be sure of a warm welcome.

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 or online.

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.