- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Cheshunt, around Cedars Park and the Lee Valley
Lone parents head about 15% of Cheshunt households, well over the regional figure, so many residents are fitting friendships around family life.
43,600+
Cheshunt built-up area residents, 2021 census figures (ONS)
15%
of homes in five Broxbourne wards covering Cheshunt, Turnford and Wormley are single-parent households; East of England 10% (2021 census, ONS)
20%
of people in those Cheshunt wards were aged 15 or under in 2021; the regional share is 19% (ONS)
Cheshunt has a palace site turned park
Cedars Park is the natural place to make friends in Cheshunt: it stands on the site of Theobalds Palace, where James I lived, and has a café, a nature centre and a Friends group. River Lee Country Park lies along the eastern edge of town, and Laura Trott Leisure Centre on Windmill Lane runs swimming sessions for over-50s. Women in Cheshunt can also connect on Gofrendly.
Cheshunt and Broxbourne: friendship FAQ
What is the history of Cedars Park in Cheshunt?
Cedars Park in Cheshunt stands on the site of Theobalds Palace, a royal residence of James I. Today it has a café, a nature centre and a maze, and a Friends group helps look after it. It makes a good setting for a weekly stroll and a coffee with a new acquaintance.
Is there a parkrun near Cheshunt?
Cheshunt has no parkrun inside the town. The nearest is Gunpowder parkrun at Waltham Abbey, across the Lee Valley in Essex, starting at 9am on Saturdays. Cheshunt drivers can be there quickly, and walkers join in as well as runners, so it suits a first outing together.
Does Cheshunt have a market?
Cheshunt has no market itself. Broxbourne Council runs the closest ones, in Waltham Cross and Hoddesdon, on Wednesdays and Fridays. A market trip with a neighbour makes a simple outing from Cheshunt and gives the two of you plenty to say.
Single mums in Cheshunt: how do you find other women?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, lets single mums in Cheshunt meet women from the same part of town. A coffee at the Cedars Park café while the children play, or a weekday swim, is a realistic plan that works around school and family.
Cheshunt and its families
Cheshunt is the largest town in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, between the A10 and the Lee Valley. In the five wards covering the town, Turnford and Wormley, single-parent families account for about 15% of households and residents aged 15 or under for a fifth of the population, each above the figures for the wider region. For anyone bringing up children, perhaps on your own, look for one or two places where the same grown-ups appear every week, so that a hello can grow into a proper friendship.
Juggling school runs and work can be lonely. Cheshunt has two large parks, a leisure centre with family and adult sessions, and miles of paths in the Lee Valley right on its doorstep. The town has no market of its own, but Waltham Cross and Hoddesdon both have markets on Wednesdays and Fridays, a short trip away by bus or car for a morning out with a friend. Places to start:
1
Cedars Park, on the site of Theobalds Palace, with a café and a Friends group.
2
River Lee Country Park, about 1,000 acres of lakes and paths beside the town.
3
Laura Trott Leisure Centre on Windmill Lane, with a main pool and a learner pool.
4
Cheshunt Library on Turners Hill, closed on Wednesdays.
5
Cheshunt Park, a large open space on the north-west side of town.
LOCAL TIP
A walk in Cedars Park is the simplest first plan.
How to
Cheshunt: meeting women in the Lee Valley
1
Volunteer with the Friends of Cedars Park and get to know neighbours as you work.
2
Join an over-50s swim or an aqua class at Laura Trott Leisure Centre.
3
Use Gofrendly to contact Cheshunt women and walk a loop in River Lee Country Park together.
4
Try Gunpowder parkrun in nearby Waltham Abbey on a Saturday morning with someone new.
A true story, and films about friendship
Who wrote about Cheshunt and Broxbourne
Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja, who founded Gofrendly, and our editorial team wrote the Cheshunt page with Broxbourne parents in mind, and any woman who would like friends within easy reach.
Friendship looks different at every stage
More guides for women in this area – each with its own local advice.
Friendship looks different at every stage
More guides for women in this area – each with its own local advice.
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