Retire in England

How do I meet people in England?

When we asked people living in England about club and activities where newcomers can meet others, they responded:

"As a mother, you can find mum groups in the Oxfordshire county area. You can also attend functions in the town centre to meet people. There is a community centre where you can utilize the gym and take fitness classes," said another retiree in Wantage.

"I joined a gym to attend classes. I find this is a good way to meet people of my own age. I tend to go when people are at work and go to classes which are targeted at people my age. I also have gotten involved in church activities," commented one retiree living in Cambridge, UK.

"Become a member of something that interests you, whether a service organization, sport, art, or hobby. For instance, I joined the Royal Horticultural Society, which oversees several gardens in the UK, as well as organizing internationally regarded garden shows, as well as a community ceramics studio," explained one retiree living in London.

"Join The Leeds Library (private) because the public libraries are not so hot. Hang out in local cafes and you soon meet the regulars. Same goes for pubs. Take classes at Swarthmore or any number of colleges," said another retiree in living in Leeds, UK.

"There is a BME Black & Minority Forum that meets every tue at lunch time in the Badger center.. it is a good place to start meeting more expats... they have free English classes if needed and have lots of excellent activities... Weston Super Mare is more multicultural than other parts in Somerset. There is an African Shop where I found out plantain and beans :) happy days!!!," explained a retiree in Weston Super Mare.

"I would recommend finding a congenial neighborhood pub. It is a wonderful place to make friends and find out about local news. Join a class (I take dance with new friends), get involved in nature activities like hiking clubs, photography clubs or birding. Don't be afraid to talk to people and don't be nervous about not understanding every word the first time! Yorkshire accents are quite hard to decipher until one has lived with it for a while. Enjoy the differences instead of dreading them. Relax and people will enjoy your company and ask questions about where you are from," explained one retiree living in Driffield.

What is life like in England?