A community group which paved the way to a kinder society is urging people to stop looking for love and find joy in friendship instead this Valentine's Day.
The Oddfellows, a society dedicated to the cultivation of friendship and goodwill, has more than 388,080 members across the UK, including 300 right here in Merseyside. Since 1810, the Oddfellows group has offered its members a helping hand in times of need, as well as the chance for older people to forge strong friendships later in life.
Angela Murray, social organiser for the Mersey Oddfellows, said: "The Oddfellows themselves started as a society of mutual aid, essentially people looking after each other. It was a little bit like a credit union, putting money in a pot.
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"This was before the welfare state or the NHS, and if somebody needed a doctor or if they needed to bury someone they took money from the pot.
"Today we operate on the same principles the group was founded on over 200 years ago. We have regular get-togethers, trips and days out - it's really about bringing people together and combatting loneliness - but we so still have a very strong offer of welfare.
"I think it's needed now more than ever before, especially since Covid-19."
The Mersey Branch, which organises meet-ups in Childwall, Garston, Rainhill, Upton and Wallasey, is now encouraging people to ditch the chocolates and roses and fix up a "friendship date" instead as Valentine's Day approaches.
Branch secretary Margaret Hughes said: “Valentine’s Day always tends to focus on romance and grand gestures, but it is important to remember that love comes in many forms and is needed for more than just one day of the year.
“Friendships can be just as rewarding as romantic relationships and can support good mental health and wellbeing. It’s why we are always so passionate about championing the vast benefits that accompany spending time with good friends.
“As well as providing us with social experiences that lift our spirits, friendships offer a vital support network for when times get tough, prevent loneliness, and perhaps most importantly, help individuals recognise their own self-worth.
“We also appreciate that if you’ve lost someone close, Valentine’s Day can be a difficult time of year. We say come and have a lovely time with us at one of our meet-ups. A warm welcome is waiting.”
Angela said: "Our age range is generally older people, although we do have a junior membership. But it's mainly targeted at the over-50s, people who are retired, people who have been bereaved, or have just moved to a new area.
"It's really the age where people find they have quite a lot of time on their hands. Maybe they find themselves struggling if they've retired and have gone from a social, active social life to things being quite quiet and lonely.
"It's lovely to chat to our members. Everybody's got a story. It's really about bringing people together and combatting loneliness."
To find out more about the Mersey Oddfellows, or to find out about other upcoming events, contact Angela on 07912 605677 or email angela.murray@oddfellows.co.uk
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