All friendly societies have their roots in the communities that spawned them. A lot of them are still local societies and focus very much on local services to members of their local communities. Some are much larger with a national identity and prominence as they have expanded into much broader providers of financial services.

Apart from their legal constitution what binds friendly societies together is this emphasis on community. All of them are committed to their communities either at local level or on a national scale.

This strong sense of community has stayed throughout the long history of friendly societies. Their ability to adjust has seen them expand from the provision of straight forward burial services through to illness and accident support. During the post war period of re-evaluation of health cover to the nation it was friendly societies who were at the forefront of helping the government establish an identity and purpose for the National Health Service.

As friendly societies were compelled to adjust to life after the National Health Service they never forgot their roots or community credentials. The recognition of the importance of providing a future for children has always been on the agenda. Also in the pursuit of finding a solution to the financially disenfranchised members of the national community friendly societies have been a constant source of reference and advice to successive governments.