How to make new friends in London

[belindalondon]

Hi everyone - Im new to this site and new to London and I miss my friends from back home. Can anyone recommend any good sites to find new friends? I found this one new2london.net and have met a few new female friends but the more the merrier!

Have you looked at the MN local section?

And, I hate to say it, but NetMums seems to be very active locally.

How old are your children?

It´s quite hard, for some reason, in London.

I met most people through activities with my DC (Toddler painting, boy´s football,that sort of thing). As London is so big, you don´t just keep running into the same few peopel that you would if you lived in a a village, so you should just try to get out of the house as much as you can

I set up a little toddler club myself for new expats in my area (some I met in park, their friends, mail to the embassy of my own country to ask if they wanted to give details of club to new arrivals etc.)

Get in touch with NCT and get added to your local list - if there is one - you'll get invited to coffee etc at local mums' houses (depends a bit on the age of your dcs)

I've always found it far easier to make friends in London than in other towns, especially small towns. Partly, I think, because many Londoners are on the move somehow, so most people have space for a new pal. Mainly because there's so much going on and it's not hard to find like-minded people.

As well as what you're doing here (well done!), identify your local mummy cafe and go there regularly, when it's busy. When you see flyers for community activity that interests you, volunteer (there was always some riverbank clearing to be done where I lived - may not be your bag, but you get the idea.) It's guaranteed there will be classes in something you like; join them.

Also, you didn't say whether you're with DP but every London area has a few astonishingly good restaurants that are very cheap - poke around in the side streets near you. There's always tons of free & cheap cultural stuff happening, from classical concerts through cinema to circus workshops! Look in Time Out for listings.

I miss London! Hope you enjoy it