Loneliness can affect anyone at anytime. And while some people argue that the internet is encouraging people to stay home and be isolated, it can also be a great avenue to get out and meet people in real life. 

Meetup.com offers a way for people who have something in common to get together. It’s free to set up an account and join existing groups. Search for interests either by keyword or browse different categories (for example book clubs, walking groups, theatre-going) and join as many as you want. Once you do, you’ll get notified by email about scheduled meets, and can exchange messages with other members of the group. 

Right off the bat I found two groups that might be of interest to 50+ Loiners. 

Kevin, coordinator of the Leeds and Five Towns District, explains that on your first visit, an organiser will greet you and introduce you to some of the existing members, who will make you feel very welcome and soon put you at ease.

Trish, an organiser of Yorkshire Friends Over 50 says, “The Friends are a very friendly group of people and each one of us braved our ‘first time’ and lived to tell the tale!! Until you meet us you won’t know what you’re missing.” 

Those are only two examples of groups for people in a similar age group. There are many more to discover, so why not take a look?