Social networking club launches in Bristol with first mixing event

Click launched it's first social networking event on 1 May

A new social networking club looking to tackle loneliness among the under 40s launched last week.

Organisers Lucy Coxon, 26, and Sarah Davies, 31, launched Click on 1 May to promote friendship in Bristol.

The first event hosted 55 people for a wine tasting evening at Mercy Mercy Mercy in Clifton.

The club founders said they were "so grateful" for the support from their budding community.

Yoga teacher Ms Coxon and pub manager Ms Davies said they saw the need for a social networking club after experiencing difficulty in making new friends in adulthood.

Ms Coxon said she hoped the weekly not-for-profit Click events would give people the space and opportunity to meet new people.

Tommy March (front) and co-organiser Lucy Coxon (L) chat with new friends at at Mercy Mercy Mercy cafe

Couple Clemence Bin, 31, and Antonie Coudoux, 28, from France, have been in the city for less than two months and said they've found it hard to meet new people.

"I have no expectations, it's a lot on people's shoulders", Ms Bin said. "If at the end of the day we meet someone we really click with, it's like 'jackpot'".

Tommy March, 33, who has lived in Bristol since 2017, said that finding a social circle as friends start young families can be hard.

"You don't have the same opportunities as you did at university, so it can be quite lonely occasionally", she said. "You have more people settling down, having kids, so they're less available to go out."

James Harding (centre) said socialising when working for home is particularly difficult

James Harding, who works from home, said it has been really hard to socialise since the pandemic.

"People went to work from home after being in an environment where they could have work friends and now they can't, so it's like what do we do?

"If there aren't events like this, people just watch TikTok," he said.

Organisers Ms Coxon and Ms Davies said they were "so proud" of how the event had gone.

In a statement on Instagram, Ms Coxon wrote: "I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who joined last night and so excited for what is to come in the future."

The next Click events will be a run club and cake decorating on the 6 and 14 May.