Blokes, Beer and Banter

They may be outnumbered, but the blokes at Edgewater Village aren’t about to let that get in the way of a good time.

Blokes, Beer and Banter is a monthly meet-up group specially dedicated to the village’s male residents, who between them make up around a quarter of the total village population. The brainchild of Barrie Thomas, the group provides a welcome opportunity to get to know other men in a relaxed and informal setting.

“I started it up over four years ago and the friendships that have developed from it is fantastic,” says Barrie, who has lived at Edgewater with his wife Phyl for the last seven-and-a-half years.

“Now there's shared camaraderie when we run into each other at residents’ meetings, happy hours and other functions and events. It’s really good.”

The men catch up once a month, sharing a bite to eat, a wee tipple, and plenty of friendly banter.

“We talk about everything from politics and religion to what’s happening in the world. The only thing we don’t talk about is women!”

During the summer and spring months, the men congregate in the village courtyard, and in inclement weather they head to the lounge. Sometimes they venture out of the village to popular lunch spots like the RSA and the Howick Country Club.

“Most of the men in the village belong to the group, and every time a new bloke moves in, I’ll track them down and invite them to join us.It’s really great to have that recognition and interaction with each other.

“And if one of the guys is unwell, we make sure we check in on how they’re getting on. It’s comforting to know that people are looking out for you.

“In fact, the whole village is like that – everyone keeps an eye on each other.”