OUR EVENTS PROGRAMME

• Do you want to know how to meet new friends, soul mates and partners?
• Are you uncomfortable going up to someone and starting a conversation?

• Be natural and confident
• Create a lasting impression
• Spot the timewasters
• Ask questions that make you stand out
• Make the other person feel comfortable
• Handle any awkward questions
• Be remembered

It will also teach you the seven common mistakes that most people make when meeting others for the first time. And of course you'll get to meet lots of other people and we can assure you you'll have a great time.
The workshop will teach you how to be natural as well as confident when meeting new people and how to keep conversations flowing. This workshop will not only benefit you socially but will also help you immensely at work as you will learn how to communicate effectively and productively with your colleagues and your employer.
So if you want to know how to make new friends easily and in a relaxed way and you want to learn how not to be uncomfortable going up to someone and starting a conversation then call us soon to book your ticket.
The workshops are being held as follows: London - 3rd February; Birmingham - 10th February; Manchester - 17th February; Bristol - 24th February.

CALL US ON 0121 427 1286 TO BOOK YOUR PLACE
SUMMER HOLIDAY

After the success of last summer's holiday which was SOLD OUT, we are again offering a great summer holiday dedicated to singles in the Isle of Wight. The dates are 15th - 21st September and it's aimed at people aged over 45. If you're under 45 then we're offering a fantastic week in Wales 21st - 28th July. For more details and feedback on last year's holiday, click here.
Our events do tend to book up fast (last year's summer holiday was sold out) so if you want to come to any of them, don't leave it to the last minute to book. Better still if you book early you'll be able to take advantage of our early bird discounts.
For more details of our forthcoming events click here

Have you ever wondered if it'd be worth moving house and location to increase your chances of meeting other single people? Do you sometimes feel that there are hardly any single people around you?
If so, then a report by EuroDirect could be just what you need. It shows the top 20 UK postcode areas by population for singles living alone; where to find your ideal man or woman if you are looking for love by revealing the UK postcode areas with the greatest disparities between male and female singles living alone; and the age bands of UK singles living alonge and the gender disparities within each band.
It'll certainly make you think. To read the report click here.

Are you going to be on your own this Valentine's Day? Will you hope that there will be something in the post for you, or that you'll get that special phone call? Or will you just try and ignore the day because you know there's nothing coming for you this year?
But think again - you could use this Valentine's Day to make a new resolution to transform your life and reach towards a happier future! And of course, meeting new people can be a great way to feel good about life and yourself. And even better, we'd like to help you do this!
What we'd like to offer you is a discount of 20% off our membership fees if you join before 14th February. Take up our Bronze level of membership and receive two mailings full of profiles over your membership year and with our discount you only need to pay £168. Take up of Silver level of membership (receiving quarterly mailings) and pay only £208; take up our Gold membership (receiving profiles every other month) and only pay £240. Or take up our Platinum service for profiles every month and pay only £280.
To take up this offer, complete our profile forms and send your payment to friendsfirst, PO Box 8377, Birmingham, B17 9TE. Alternatively you can now pay by credit or debit card. Just ring us on 0121 427 1286 and we'll take your payment over the phone.
Have you been wondering for a while whether to join us or not? Go on, make this year a special one. Step out and do something different. Joining us is the first step to the rest of your life. But if you don't... please do send someone a Valentines card - it'll really make their day.
And if you're still not sure, then read some of feedback that current members have said about us by clicking here.

We were very interested to read about the following research reported in The Daily Telegraph by James Randerson (Science Correspondent)
The dating game is an anxious affair for all but the most confident suitors - somehow how love rivals always seem to be so much more attractive and desirable. But a new study appears to show that women who think everyone else is thinner and more beautiful or men who think they can judge who is the most rugged and attractive are usually wrong.
Scientists asked students to rate the desirability of other people and found they usually over-rate the attractiveness of competitors, and play down their chances. This consistent over-rating of fellow suitors may be an evolved tactic to make us work harder to find and keep a mate. But acording to the scientist who carried out the study, it may foster depression or even anorexia in people who become convinced they are not attractive enough.
"Women might think, 'gosh I'm so undesirable I just need to get thinner and thinner' because they are trying to err on the side of being attractive. But they end up with a pathological disorder," said Sarah Hill, a psychologist at the University of Texas, Austin, in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour.
What do you think? We'd be interested in your views. Email us at editors@friends1st.co.uk

That's all for now. I hope you have enjoyed reading our latest newsletter. We would love to hear what you think of it and of course if you have any suggestions or requests for the next edition please email us at editors@friends1st.co.uk

Katharine Gray friendsfirst
email: editors@friends1st.co.uk phone: 0121 427 1286

web: http://www.friends1st.co.uk