As a result of the coronavirus lockdown, companies are trying to stay afloat by taking advantage of the government’s relief plans and putting their staff on furlough.
Being on furlough might sound like a dream come true to some people.
After all, you’ve a) still got a job and b) still getting paid, albeit a lower amount, but while doing nothing. But furlough can also be boring, because now you have nothing to fill your days with apart from Netflix and baking.
One woman has found a very innovative way to entertain herself.
Rosy Candlin, a 26-year-old who works in fundraising, has launched a free matchmaking service specifically for anyone looking to ‘find love in the time of corona’.
Dubbed Matchmaking with Meryl, the service does not guarantee that you’ll find the love of your life, but you will at the very least have a ‘jolly good time’.
‘I was recently put on furlough from work and I thought it would be a great idea to set up a matchmaking service for people in quarantine,’ she tells Metro.co.uk.
‘I think the idea of dates on Zoom are so innovative and its a really unique time in dating when we can’t leave the house and meet people – so why not help some people out and get them a quarantine date?
‘It’s all free, it’s just cause I’m on furlough and I’ve got nothing to do.’
Rosy started by creating a website and then messaged her friends to spread the word.
Matchmaking with Meryl launched last Sunday (5 April) and she’s matched 20 people so far.
Rosy says: ‘Most of the dates have gone well – people seem to be enjoying the novelty of it.
‘It’s going alright, we’ve had about 20 dates so far, and they’ve been of mixed successes.
‘Most of our daters are in London and in their 20s, but I’m hoping the more people learn about the service the more people from further afield we have taking part.’
So, how does it work?
It’s pretty easy actually. You simply go onto the website, fill in a form with some personal details (gender, sexuality, political affinity, so on) and Rosy will then review the form and match you with someone.
Then she’ll send both daters an email with their respective contact details and an instruction to set up a video date.
‘I tend to look at their answers to the questions, like political affiliation, hobbies and what they’re looking for in someone,’ she adds.
‘Quite a lot of the time the same stuff crops up.
‘It’s only been a week, so there haven’t been any seconds dates organised yet.
‘A few people found the video chat quite awkward but some just found it really funny and had a good laugh with it.’
Rosy was worried that not a lot of men would sign up, because she is mostly advertising the business through word of mouth and doesn’t know many single men herself – but her friends came to the rescue.
‘We’ve now got more men than women,’ she says.
‘I did a drive for men and messaged everyone I knew and said “send this to the men you know”.
‘I’ll probably keep it going until quarantine is over.
‘I met my partner on Tinder and I thought it’s so fun that people are doing video calls. I was just jealous and wanted to be involved so I decided to start matchmaking.’
Does Rosy have any actual matchmaking qualifications? No.
But is this a great way to have fun while in lockdown? Yes.
Plus, she’s engaged – so she’s got to have some love skills, right?
Do you have an unusual love story that you want to share with us?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/13/woman-creates-matchmaking-service-people-find-love-coronavirus-lockdown-12549680/?ITO=squid
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