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Relationships

According to Karen Mooney, vice chairman of the Association of British Introduction Agencies and managing director of Sara Eden Introductions, more and more people are using introduction agencies. "My clients are made up of successful, wealthy, attractive and socially adept people - including a smattering of famous faces. There's nothing odd about them. People's attitudes are gradually changing. When I set up the company 12 years ago, it was such a new concept that everyone thought, I'd gone mad. I really had to sell the idea that we were 'normal'. Thankfully, that's changed," she says.

However, Karen admits that some people do feel uncomfortable or get embarrassed when they first get in touch with an introduction service. Interestingly, she says that it is the older generation that remains the most sceptical. "Today there aren't the clearly defined relationship roles that there were thirty years ago. As a consequence, I find older people need more convincing, whereas the younger generation are more comfortable with the idea of using consultants, and seeking out specialist's," says Karen.

This is a sentiment echoed by Des, one of Sara Eden's members. "No one thinks twice about using an estate agent to buy or sell a house. What's so different about using an introduction agency to find a partner?"

While some people join agencies to extend their circle of friends or provide a boost to their social life, Des joined the agency to find love. He is in his mid-thirties, with a successful business and wide circle of friends. His problem is that the majority of his friends are already married and the long hours that he puts in at the office make it difficult to meet new people. When I worked for an airline, one of my colleagues met and married a wonderful woman that he met through Sara Eden. He was always very open about it, so I decided to give it a go," he says.

His first visit to the introduction agency was nerve-racking but, after he realised that he would not be subjected to a hard sell, he relaxed and enjoyed the experience. "I was interviewed and then given some of the other members' profiles to look through. It's a great way to get a feel for people. And while personal safety isn't really an issue for men in this situation, I find it reassuring that there has been some type of check made on every member, he says.