Tips for making friends when we move?

[twinsetandpearls]

ON Saturday we are moving to Dorset from Lancashire and it is beginning to strike me that we don't know a soul.

Presently we are lucky that I know lots of people where I live and we live on a very friendly road where people know each other, dd has lots of friends on the road, she is forever having sleepovers or going out for the day.

The road to which we are moving has no children and I am very worried that dd is going to find this hard.

I would also like to get to know my neighbours, on our present road we have done this through dd but as there are no children there we will have to do the work ourselves. What do you do when you move to a road, it is a culdesac which I hope will make things easier, and know nobody?

We are making a move like this...I am thinking of asking in immediate neighbours for a glass of something the say after we move in so there is nothing for them to snoop around but we are being friendly.

Then it iis head first into PTA and classes whilst we all try to make friends.

I thought about inviting people round for a drink but dp is quite shy, will they think we are being forceful?

I will have church and the PTA I suppose.

How old is your DD? If she goes to school then she will make friends there once term re-starts. If she is too young for that then I'd find out asap about any M&T groups in the area - I know that they are not everyone's cup of tea but they are a starting point when meeting people.

Also, I'd go and knock on the doors of your immediate neighbours either on the day you move in or the next day. You can say hi and introduce yourselves and get a feel for the kind of people they are very quickly that way.

Good luck, it's a daunting thing to do but I'm sure you will be fine - and you never know; there may be a MNer or two in the area

x-posts - I see that your dd is at school so, like you say, dive straight in!

too old for m and t but that was how I made friends first time.

I am also going to start her horse riding again asap in the hope she will make friends.

shameless attention seeking bump

Knock on next door neighbours' doors and introduce yourself. Ask for local information eg could you tell me where the nearest library/post office/pampas grass* outlet is?

(*Rude joke, sorry.)

Just speak to people. They will be fascinated by you; no one north of Watford wears matching socks, let alone matching top and cardi.

As for pearls, well your wisdom will not be wasted among swine.

you should have planned ahead and been heavily pregnant by now - easy to meet folks with a baby

throw yourself into church and pta and knock on neighbours door to introduce yourself and ask what day bins go out. you'll be grand and in the centre of things in no time . all the best!

Agree re PTA - I've made some good friends that way. A "come round for tea and cakes/a glass of wine" session would be excrutiating, but probably well worthwhile.

I would throw an informal bbq and invite all the neighbours

Friend moved recently and she joined NCT and agreed to do some nominal role. she said she found execuses to call people and brazenly rang them up on some pretence then said we should meet up for coffee.

Said it worked sometimes and not others, but she has now got a really good circle of friends she can call and catch up with

A bbq would be a good idea actually, was just browsing for new barbecue and garden furniture.

They are fascinated, when I did my interview lesson the kids were amazed by my accent.