RESEARCH reveals over HALF of adults in the East of England feel lonely

New research commissioned by Beavertown Brewery has shone a light on the challenges adults face in making new friends, revealing that nearly half (43%) would love to make new friendships, but 79% feel either anxious or nervous about it.

The study, which surveyed 2,000 participants, found that adults typically stop making new friends around the age of 30 to 34, with 1 in 10 people in the North West not having formed a new friendship since then.

According to the OnePoll.com data, more than half (56%) of people in the East of England think it’s harder to make friends or meet new people as you get older, with almost half admitting they’d be nervous at the prospect.

This January, Beavertown is teaming up with charity partner Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) to bring people together during a month that can often feel lonely, especially after the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

As part of their bid to Crush Loneliness this January, Beavertown Brewery and CALM are hosting free and discounted community climbing events at Lakeland Climbing Centers across the country.

Since its debut at the 2020 Olympics, climbing has become one of the fastest growing sports in the UK. This up and coming activity offers proven physical, social and psychological benefits including camaraderie, collaboration and communication – making it a great way to get the blood pumping and bring people together.

The study also found that out of those who feel most lonely in January, 45% put it down to people not wanting to socialise after Christmas, 73% say it’s due to the weather, and 65% blame it on the fact that it’s too dark to go out anywhere.

According to the survey, more than a third (39%) of all adults in the North West would be unlikely to admit feelings of loneliness to someone else, with 60% believing there is a societal taboo around adult loneliness.

Despite this, a third (39%) would take a class to learn a new skill in a bid to make new friendships, while 1 in 5 (18%) would give meet-up apps a go.

Tom Rainsford, Marketing Director of Beavertown Brewery, said: “Let’s be honest, January can feel like a month of Mondays, and with people out and about, it can also be a month when feelings of loneliness surface. At Beavertown we’re all about creating moments that bring people together, which is why, with our charity partner CALM – we’ve launched our series of community events in a month where going out and meeting mates might normally feel like a challenge. Why not give it a try – and join us in our shout to crush loneliness this January.”

Matt Jennings, CMO at Campaign Against Living Miserably said: “Let’s face it, with the festive fun over, getting through January can feel like a mountain to climb. And with millions of people reporting that they feel lonely some or most of the time, finding ways to bring people together couldn’t be more important.

“That’s why we’re excited to team up with Beavertown to help make this notorious month feel less miserable with a series of free climbing events to hopefully spark new friendships and hobbies – and show that we’re not alone.”

This January, Beavertown Brewery and CALM invite everyone to Crush Loneliness together and take a proactive step toward building meaningful connections.