Making friends in Guernsey, one morning at a time.
Moving to an island, or finding your old circle has changed, can make it surprisingly hard to meet people. New Beginnings is a friendly group that gets together on Wednesday and Friday mornings, 10:00 to 13:00, at the Bathing Pools to talk, laugh and get to know each other.
Who it suits
People who have just arrived in Guernsey, people who have lived here for years but want new faces, and anyone whose life has shifted and left them wanting more connection. Different ages, backgrounds and careers all come along.
You do not need a reason to come beyond wanting good company.
What happens
Have a drink, meet people and talk about life, ideas or whatever is on your mind. Some mornings the conversation goes deep, some mornings it is mostly laughter. Nobody runs an agenda and nobody expects you to share more than you want to.
Children and well-behaved dogs are welcome, and the brave sometimes finish with a dip in the pools.
Your first time
Most people feel a little nervous walking up to a table of strangers. That is normal. Marc and Sonia, who host, will introduce you and make sure you are included. Just turn up, say you are new, and grab a seat.
If you would rather have a familiar face first, get in touch and we can arrange to meet you 15 minutes before a gathering.
Check the current days and times on the homepage before you come.
Settling in to island life
Plenty of people here started out new to the island and remember what those first weeks felt like. For practical information about living in Guernsey, the free Welcome Aboard guide is a useful place to start. You do not need to use any relocation service to join us.
Going through a bigger change as well? Read about navigating life change in Guernsey.
Come and say hello.
Leave your details on the join form and we will add you to the WhatsApp group, where every gathering is shared. If walking into a new group feels daunting, mention it and we can arrange to meet you 15 minutes before a gathering.