A new group for men to make friends, try new things and beat boredom has launched in Wigton.
Wigton Round Table is a social group that aims to bring men aged between 18 to 45 together twice a month to try out new activities and escape every day life.
Activities cover everything from motocross, to indoor skiing, axe throwing and canoeing – and they also get involved with community and charity work too.
The group is part of the wider Round Table organisation, which was founded in 1927 and runs across England and Ireland.
Four other groups currently run in Cumbria, including in Maryport, Cockermouth, Keswick and Windermere, with Wigton being the newest edition.
Lee Williamson, who first joined Maryport Round Table in 2016, said he had made numerous new friends and travelled the world with them thanks to the group.
He said: “It’s really good for people who are new to the area or who want to get out of the house during the week, especially with more people working from home.
“A lot of men might find themselves sat at home bored on a weekday night watching TV and it gives them a chance to get out there, meet new people and try things they’ve never done before.
“I joined in 2016 and it’s a big part of my social life. I’ve travelled all around the world with them and visited different countries, you can go anywhere you want with them.
“We want to see more lads coming along and experiencing it, meeting new people, having a few drinks and trying something new.”
The decision to set up a new group in Wigton came from Maryport Round Table’s chairman who felt there was a need for a group in the town.
Lee added that he felt in world where 18 per cent of men have no close friends and with suicide being the biggest killer of men under 50, that groups like Round Table are more important than ever before.
Upcoming activities for the Wigton group include line dancing, a Carlisle United match day, an escape room, programme planning and bowling.
New members are always welcome and there is no special criteria to join – all activities are also made affordable for everyone.
The group meets every other week on a Tuesday at around 7pm in order to best avoid weekends, work commitments and family time.
The Round Table organisation does have a sister organisation for women known as Ladies Circle, but currently, the closest club to Cumbria is located in Troon.
More information can be found on Wigton Round Table’s Facebook page.
