- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Dartford, by the Darent and the heath
Over 20% of Dartford households are married parents with children at home, more than the South East average, so plenty of families live on your doorstep.
54,100+
residents across nine Dartford town wards (Census 2021, ONS)
21%
of Dartford households are married parents with children who depend on them; South East: 16% (ONS, 2021)
12%
of Dartford people are 65-plus, against 19% regionally (2021 census)
Dartford volunteers on the heath
Dartford Heath Volunteers meet on Tuesday mornings, a practical way to make friends in Dartford while caring for 314 acres of lowland heath. Dartford parkrun loops Central Park every Saturday, and the High Street hosts markets on Thursdays and Saturdays. Gofrendly also helps women in Dartford meet people nearby, from long-time residents to those who arrived only recently in town.
Dartford FAQ for families and commuters
Is Dartford Museum open?
Dartford Borough Museum closed on 1 October 2026 for a major refurbishment and hopes to reopen in autumn 2027 with new displays, including the town’s Vox amplifier history. Meanwhile the curator holds Saturday history sessions at Dartford Library, which stays open.
Where can I run or walk parkrun in Dartford?
Dartford parkrun is held in Central Park, right in the middle of Dartford, starting at 9am on Saturdays, over two and a half laps of tarmac, trail and grass. It starts outside the athletics clubhouse, and runners have coffee afterwards at Dartford Harriers clubhouse.
How do I volunteer on Dartford Heath?
Dartford Heath Volunteers meet on Tuesdays from 10am to 1pm at the Heath Lane car park, helping to look after 314 acres of lowland heath. Dartford Borough Council asks new volunteers to get in touch with its countryside team before the first session.
How can mums in Dartford find new friends?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, helps mums in Dartford discover other women in their neighbourhood and exchange a few messages first. A play date at the Central Park playground or a walk across Dartford Heath is a relaxed first plan.
Dartford, a Kent town of young families
Dartford is the town where Vox amplifiers began, and in July 2026 a pavement artwork outside Len Goodman’s old dance academy on Market Street was unveiled in his honour. In nine town wards, over 20% of households are married parents with children at home and only around 12% of people are 65-plus, both different from regional patterns. In a young town like this, friendships can form through children, school and the daily commute into work.
With a full house and a long commute, it is still possible to feel lonely. Central Park has a café, a visitor centre, a bandstand and the River Darent running through, with a summer water park for children and a wildflower meadow. Dartford Borough Museum closed on 1 October 2026 for refurbishment until autumn 2027, with history talks at the library on Saturdays in the meantime. Dartford Heath records go back to 1660. Places to start:
1
Central Park, with a café and visitor centre.
2
Dartford Heath, with volunteer mornings on Tuesdays.
3
The High Street markets on Thursdays and Saturdays.
4
Dartford Library, with Saturday history sessions.
5
The Orchard Theatre in the town centre.
LOCAL TIP
Find the Len Goodman dance steps on Market Street and try them with a friend.
How to
Dartford: four ways to make friends locally
1
Join Dartford parkrun in Central Park and finish at the Harriers clubhouse for coffee.
2
Sign up with Dartford Heath Volunteers for a Tuesday session.
3
Suggest tea at the Central Park café to Dartford women from Gofrendly.
4
Shop the Saturday market together on Dartford High Street.
A national month for friendship, and a September reset
Dartford: the team behind this guide
Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja put this Dartford guide together, with help from our editors, for Kent women with young children, long commutes or a recent move to the town.
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.
Find women near you
See who’s nearby and say hi — it’s free to start.