Finding connections in 2026: Making local meet ups happen

January 2026

Joining your first WAY meet up can be really daunting. For Wiltshire-based member Ben, it started as a small step: posting on WAY’s local Facebook group and going for a walk with just a few other local members. Out of that small step grew a vibrant community of new friends. Here’s Ben’s story…

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“I joined WAY in mid-2023,18 months after losing my wife. At first, apart from the usual chat on the main Facebook page, I didn’t really see a lot happening locally. I posted on the WAY Wiltshire Facebook page, and four of us went for a walk one weekend. That was the start.

Fast forward 30 months – we now meet at least once a month for an evening meal. In the past month alone, I think we’ve had four or five events: a 60th birthday celebration, a pre-Christmas pub outing, a dog walk and going to my village’s New Year’s Eve party.

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I’ve met well over 40 local widows and widowers, and our meals regularly have 20-plus attending. We have a local WhatsApp group, and many of our members are now day-to-day friends. Two have even booked several holidays together, including Japan in 2027! Each year I book us a meal for my birthday, as well as celebrating other members throughout the year.

So the bottom line, and the point of this post: you’re all here as paid-up WAY members, and this can be an incredibly beneficial tool for you. Make 2026 a year to get out, make friends and make some new connections. If it’s not happening locally, make it happen – be the change!

WAY has given me so much, it really has! Whilst my local group may think I’m giving and giving by organising so much, it actually gives me much more. Many of the people I’ve met will now be a part of my life forever!

My advice to all WAY members is: don’t sit and wait – go out and grab opportunities!” 

Organise an event in your area in 2026

In his original post, Ben suggested that members share their events at the end of each month on the closed Facebook group. We love that idea and we’ll be keeping an eye out for your posts – and we’ll be sharing news from one of our member-led events in WAY’s enewsletter every month to encourage other members to take the plunge and organise their own events in their local area! 

We look forward to hearing what you get up to in 2026.