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‘Making friends as an adult is hard – so I’ve started a friendship dating event’
Is true love confined to sex and romance? Or can it be found in shared laughter, deep listening and showing up for each other when it matters?
For all our cultural obsession with passion and partnership, maybe some of the deepest forms of love live quietly in friendship.
Easton-based facilitator, life coach and celebrant, Hope Mayhew, provides a space for people to explore connection through seasonal ‘friendship dating’ events at the Orchard Cafe in St George.
“At the centre of my work is getting back to the basics of being human: connection, kindness, love, curiosity and community,” she tells me.
Hope Mayhew believes spaces for connection are an antidote to hatred and fear
Hope’s events combine elements of play, coaching and group facilitation.
Participants are eased into the seasonal-themed evening with small acts of hospitality, including a social battery-recharging station.
Attendee Ralph says: “One game had autumn-themed words. We were then asked to line up in order of how much we liked orange.
“I somehow found myself right at the end, where it meant I liked orange the most, and ended up in a playful squabble with the person next to me about who liked orange more.
“I soon met someone I could see myself being friends with.”
Student Izzy, who is new to Bristol, explains how Hope holds the space in a way that feels welcoming and empathetic.
“She’s very attuned to vibes and how people feel: sensitive to that vulnerability in the room. Her thoughtful, creative approach made it easy for everyone to relax.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but it far exceeded my expectations. Usually, when you introduce yourself, it’s like handing over a list of facts – your name, age, job – but I didn’t have that kind of conversation once because Hope facilitates it in a way that gets you into more authentic conversations.
“I met several people who are also new to Bristol, and we’re planning to explore the city together.”
According to Hope, within a short time, you can feel the energy in the room shift – there’s laughter and ease. Strangers will soon turn into something more than strangers.
Hope believes friendship is undervalued.
“Our society tends to treat friendship as secondary,” she says. “When people ask, ‘What’s your relationship status?’ they mean romantic.
“When they ask, ‘How’s your love life?’ they rarely mean your friends or your community. That’s such a limited way to think about human bonds.
“Making friends as an adult is hard; there aren’t many spaces where connecting is the primary purpose. You can go to the pub, but drinking isn’t the same as bonding.
“You can join a class or club, but asking to hang out afterwards can feel awkward. Friendship dating removes that awkwardness.”
The events offer an antidote to swiping left and help people form platonic connections
Chatting to Hope, I reflect on the impact of social media and smartphones.
I share the belief that, since around 2008, technology has gradually swept away some of our most basic forms of human connection: meaningful interactions have been replaced by disposable transactions and living in the moment has become live-streaming the moment.
Hope agrees, saying that “every time people choose to show up in real life and meet each other halfway, a small light comes back on in the world.
She continues: “I sometimes joke that I’ll change the world with friendship, but I genuinely believe that spaces for connection are an antidote to hatred and fear.
“So much violence and division stem from loneliness and disconnection. If people learn to relate with compassion, we all benefit.”
Asked what she would tell someone nervous about attending, Hope pauses. It’s clear that how she responds to this question is very important to her.
“Your nerves are welcome,” she says. “It’s a big deal entering a room full of strangers.
“But you can always leave – and you’ll probably leave feeling better than when you arrived.”
The next friendship dating event is a ‘Winter Warmer’ on January 15 at the Orchard Cafe on Clouds Hill Road. For tickets, visit Headfirst, and for future events, visit www.wildingminds.co.uk/events.
This article appears in Bristol24/7’s January/February 2026 magazine
All photos: Wildling Minds
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