Buckingham group signs up new members with Friendship Month events

A Buckingham friendship group welcomed new faces to its special events celebrating Friendship Month, and signed up several new members.

Each September, Buckingham Oddfellows organise a series of fun and inexpensive activities to let new people know about the group and discover the benefits of joining a local friendship group.

Last month’s events included a jigsaw puzzle fundraiser and a Big Friendship Coffee Morning in Buckingham Library.

Branch secretary Doreen Sams said: “This year has been particularly important, as we wanted to encourage people to keep meeting up with friends for support through the cost of living crisis.

“We don’t want anyone in our community to feel alone or financially excluded, so would like to remind people that Friendship Month was just the icing on the cake, and that we run affordable social events throughout the year – in person and on Zoom.

"We have had an influx of enquiries recently and have welcomed a handful of new members to our friendly group.

"If you come to an event, be assured that our members are chatty and really friendly and it’s unlikely you’ll be the only new face in the group.”

New member Marion said: “I moved house from Oxfordshire to Buckingham during the Covid lockdown so it wasn’t easy to begin new friendships.

“I recently joined the local Grenville Branch and have since attended a meeting with lunch and a talk, a coffee morning, and a barbecue. It is a friendly, welcoming group with plenty of social activities to look forward to.”

Jenny heard about the group when she was coming to terms with living alone following bereavement.

She said: “I was given a warm welcome on my first visit to a coffee morning at Buckingham Library and decided it felt right for me so have since become a member.

"My first social event was really enjoyable and I’m looking forward future events in the company of new friends.”

Buckingham Oddfellows’ next event is lunch at the Flight Deck Café at Turweston on October 13 at 12.30pm.

Anyone interested in attending, or receiving a local events diary, can contact Doreen on 07730 218723 or email [email protected]