Moving to New area, advice on making new friends

[BML123]

We are due to move to a fairly rural spot not far from Bampton. We have a 2 year old and will be a long way from my friends back home. We struggled in our last move as few younger people with children and never really settled in the village. Any advice on how to make new friends in our new area?

Do you know if the new area is more popular with young families? Normally, I’d say to do things like fitness classes or hobby groups + meet people through toddler classes and playgroups.

However, if you’re in a village with an older demographic, it’s probably difficult to find people that you’d have more in common with.

Join the local facebook group and post on there? It's difficult in the current covid world as I imagine a lot of groups won't be running, but hopefully you'll meet someone.

It will be tougher due to COVID but don't automatically assume that you have to make friends with people the same age. We moved across the country when I was expecting my first child - knew no one. We moved to a very small village but people were very friendly - we joined in with everything that was going on and soon made a wide circle of friends- of all ages. Volunteering is always a great way to meet people, and keep busy.

Thanks for the suggestions, Facebook group if they have one is a good idea.
Other challenge is that I work full time partner does most of childcare which in this rural area is rather an anomaly and hence access to toddler groups/ nursery gate meet ups is rather limited and as you can imagine my partner is not one to hang around chatting to the mums!!

I've recently moved quite near to Bampton and have a two year old (also a five year old). I'm finding it quite hard to meet people, mainly due to COVID. Am hoping the school gate will be more sociable post pandemic...

COVID not the best time to try and make friends! I never thought that at my age this would be a problem!!
I am hoping that once COVID is over there will be a couple of good coffee shops that will act as meeting places!
Have you found any good places to go since you moved?

I just realised how self centred and unhelpful my post was. The local Facebook group has been helpful. Also the playground to meet people at the weekend when I'm not working. Am sure things will pick up again when life gets more normal!

I'm looking forward to trying Blake's in Clanfield... apparently an amazing bakery. The people that I have met through school/nursery have been friendly (at a distance of course...), with lots of recommendations of local things to do when we can.

Apps could be the best way forward if a local fb group doesn't help

You could try Bumble BFF, and there's an app called Penaut too which is specifically for parents.

They work in a similar way to dating apps but for making friends, but if you're quite rural and it's quite a small village you may struggle as there might not be enough local people on the apps.

Good luck with the move

Sorry the 2nd app I mentioned above is called Peanut! Not sure what happened with my spelling!

Oh sounds good I think we drove past Blakes a couple of times when house hunting it always looked busy. Also I think they are renovating the pub in Clanfield which should reopen next year, so that should be good.
I think there are loads of places around, our village now is about 10 miles from anywhere, they opened a little coffee shop open at the weekends only last year in the next village, I was so excited it was my life saver!!!

I have not heard of bumble will take a look. I tried peanut when I had our little one but as you say not many people on it in the local area, so not very productive!
Tbh we are not a massively social couple, I think we generally prefer dogs to people so perhaps that is half the problem.