Alan Stokes

: Male friendships often fade because adulthood removes the regular activities and environments that kept men in contact. Work, relationships, children, moving home and changing routines can gradually reduce time together. Rebuilding friendship usually requires creating regular opportunities for repeated contact rather than waiting for friendship to happen by itself.

Men can feel lonely even when surrounded by other people because loneliness isn't simply about being physically alone. A man may have a partner, family and work colleagues but still lack friendships, belonging or people he can spontaneously spend time with. Rebuilding connection often starts with regular shared activity rather than forcing emotional conversations.

Most of your old mates seem to have disappeared somewhere between work, relationships, kids and life. You find yourself stuck in a routine of work, home, repeat. Maybe you’ve moved to Plymouth recently and don’t know many people. Or perhaps you’re a dad whose social life has shrunk to school runs and bedtime stories. Whatever the reason, it’s easy to feel like your circle’s gotten smaller than you’d like.