October 17, 2026

Make Friends in Solihull, From Park Mornings to Theatre Nights

Nearly four in ten Solihull homes are owned outright, a higher share than in the region, so well-established local clubs are a good place to start.

Solihull friendships: two women laughing together, bikes beside them, under park trees

221,000+

people living in Solihull borough, ONS mid-2025

39%

of Solihull homes are owned without a mortgage, while the regional West Midlands rate is 34% (Census 2021, ONS)

22%

of Solihull’s population is aged 65+, against 19% regionally (ONS mid-2025)

In Solihull, start with the park

To make friends in Solihull, find a regular activity and keep at it until you are part of the furniture. Brueton parkrun every Saturday, a show at The Core Theatre or a walk in Malvern and Brueton Parks keeps you among familiar faces, and Shirley, Knowle and Dorridge run clubs too. With Gofrendly, you can get to know other Solihull women in your area.

Solihull: quick answers

Two women in a lamplit street at night, laughing and posing, Solihull

Is Solihull its own borough?

Yes. Solihull is a metropolitan borough in its own right, next to Birmingham, with its own council. It covers Shirley, Knowle, Dorridge and Chelmsley Wood as well as the town, so there are usually clubs close to home if you want friends in Solihull.

Where can you run with others in Solihull?

Brueton parkrun takes place every Saturday morning in Malvern and Brueton Parks in Solihull, and walkers are welcome as well as runners. Volunteering there is another way in, because the volunteer team sees each other every week and soon becomes familiar.

Is there an online way to meet women in Solihull?

Yes. On Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, you can see which Solihull women are nearby and swap a few messages before meeting. Combine it with a regular plan, such as parkrun or a theatre trip, so each new contact has a familiar setting.

Are there daytime activities for retired women in Solihull?

Yes. Libraries, community centres and leisure centres across Solihull run daytime classes and groups, and walking groups use the borough’s parks. Joining one in Solihull that meets on the same weekday makes it easy to see familiar faces and build friendships at your own pace.

Solihull and its villages

Solihull borough runs from the town centre and Shirley out to villages such as Knowle, Dorridge, Balsall Common, Meriden and Hampton-in-Arden, and north to Chelmsley Wood and Castle Bromwich. The NEC and Birmingham Airport are both in the borough, and Birmingham city centre is close by. For friendships, though, joining something near home is the easiest way to keep a routine going, whether that is a club in Shirley, a class in Knowle or a walking group in your nearest park.

Close to four homes in ten are owned outright and about 22% of residents are 65 or over, both above the West Midlands average. If you’re new to the area or your circle has thinned out, it can feel lonely among neighbours who seem settled. A weekly class, choir or walking group gives you a fixed time and the same faces, which is how acquaintances become friends. A few places to start:

Malvern and Brueton Parks, linked green spaces near the town centre with a Saturday parkrun.

The Core Theatre, the town-centre venue for plays, comedy and concerts.

Elmdon Park, with open grassland and woodland walks.

The National Motorcycle Museum near the NEC, for something different.

Knowle, one of the borough’s villages, with its own shops and clubs.

LOCAL TIP

Choose one and keep coming back each week.

How to

Meeting women in Solihull, step by step

Do Brueton parkrun on Saturday mornings and stay for coffee afterwards.

Book a show at The Core Theatre and ask along someone you have just met.

Use Gofrendly to reach a few Solihull women and arrange a walk in Malvern Park.

Find a weekly group in Shirley, Knowle or Dorridge, nearer to where you live.

About this Solihull page

Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja wrote about Solihull’s parks, theatre and villages with our editors, for women who want somewhere to see the same faces every week.