Men making friends: your views needed - what kind of groups would you like to see within the community?

Men making friends: your views needed.

Loneliness is a problem across the UK – about 3 million people say they feel lonely often or always – but it is particularly true for men. In a YouGov poll in 2019, 1 in 5 men admitted to not having any friends, with 32% saying they didn’t have a best friend.

There are lots of factors behind loneliness: men may have made friends at school, university or work, but as life changes, it can be easy to lose those connections. Working from home can contribute to this problem, and retirement can also cause the loss of friendship groups. Loneliness and isolation can also be an issue for men who have been widowed or suffered the breakdown of a long-term relationship.

Whilst women may be able to make new friends at the school gates, fitness classes and other social events, for some men this is harder to do, especially if they are working full time.

In Australia they sought to address this issue by creating the ‘man shed’: a community space where people could congregate. There are now over 600 sheds in the UK, where men can get together to chat, create, and share skills.

Some communities have set up a walking football club for those who love the sport but are a little less able these years.

What kind of groups would you like to see within our community? How can we best support you? We would love to hear your views about this, and what you think would help to tackle loneliness. You can email us on info@thetouchpoint.org

Thank you, and please share this post with the men in your life.