‘The Destroyer’ from The Chase Shaun Wallace on friendship month

Friends are there for the good times, and the bad, and they’re critical to help prevent loneliness and isolation. While the last 18 months presented one of the biggest social challenges ever faced by modern friendships, a new study explores the extent to which we now cherish the bonds with those we call our friends.

To mark the start of Friendship Month, new research released today by the Oddfellows reports that over two-thirds (70%) of Britons aged 60 and over say good friends are amongst the most important people in their lives and more than half (56%) believe the pandemic has made them value friendships more than ever. Despite the pandemic keeping people apart, a quarter (27%) say it has brought them closer to their friends.

The research – commissioned with 2,000 over-60s – reveals that while 31% can’t wait to reconnect with old friends, one in 10 (10%) are excited about the prospect of making new ones.

Aston spoke to ‘The Destroyer’ from TV quiz show ‘The Chase’ Shaun Wallace and Jane Nelson, CEO at the Oddfellows.