- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 21, 2026
Make Friends After 40 in Oldham Over a New Hobby
In Oldham, people aged 40 to 49 make up a touch more of the population than the regional share, and the borough’s branch libraries run weekly craft and reading groups that are easy to join.
16,300+
Oldham women are in their 40s, per ONS estimates for the middle of 2025
12.6%
is Oldham’s proportion of people in their 40s; the North West figure is 12.3% (ONS mid-2025)
15%
of Oldham homes are married-couple families with dependent children, above the region’s 13% (Census 2021, ONS)
Oldham libraries are full of makers
Picking up a hobby in your 40s opens the door to new friends in Oldham, because a shared project starts the conversation for you. Crompton Crafters meets weekly at Crompton Library in Shaw, Failsworth and Limehurst libraries host knit and natter groups, and Royton and Lees have readers’ groups. Oldham Lifelong Learning runs art and craft classes too. Gofrendly connects Oldham women with others who would rather be making something than sitting at home.
Oldham hobby groups: common questions
What hobbies help women in their 40s meet people in Oldham?
Craft and reading groups are a good start in Oldham, because they meet regularly and give you something to share straight away. The borough’s libraries host knit and natter, crafting and readers’ groups, and Oldham Lifelong Learning runs art and craft classes for adults who want to learn a new skill.
How much do craft groups at Oldham libraries cost?
Crompton Crafters, which meets weekly on Friday afternoons at Crompton Library in Shaw, costs £1 a session. The knit and natter groups at Failsworth and Limehurst libraries in Oldham are free, so you can try a few before choosing the one that suits you best.
Where can Oldham women find a crafting buddy?
Gofrendly is a women-only friendship app showing women in your corner of Oldham, so you can message someone who enjoys the same craft or books. Meeting at a library group the first time keeps it relaxed and gives you both a reason to return a week later.
How late is the swimming pool open in Oldham on weekdays?
Chadderton Wellbeing Centre on Burnley Street in Oldham opens at 6.30am and shuts at 9pm Monday to Friday, with weekend hours of 8am until 5pm. Its 25m pool has six lanes, which makes it a handy second weekly habit alongside a hobby group.
Finding friendship in Oldham through craft and books
Busy family years can leave little room for anything that is just yours, and in your 40s it is common to want a hobby again. Oldham makes that easy. Its branch libraries run groups for knitters, crafters and readers in neighbourhoods across the borough, so there is usually one within a short trip.
If your evenings or weekends have started to feel lonely, a hobby group is one of the gentlest ways back into company. You sit side by side, hands busy, and conversation comes without pressure. Some groups cost nothing, Crompton Crafters asks for £1, and the readers’ groups meet monthly, which suits a full diary. Go three or four times and people will start saving you a seat. For something more active, Chadderton Wellbeing Centre, pool included, stays open until 9pm on weekdays. If you want to make friends after 40 without forcing small talk, let the project do the talking. Places to start:
1
Crompton Crafters at Crompton Library in Shaw, meeting weekly on Fridays.
2
Knit and natter at Failsworth Library on Monday afternoons.
3
Lees Library Community Hub, whose readers’ group gathers every third Wednesday.
4
Oldham Lifelong Learning Service, with classes from art and craft to first aid.
5
Chadderton Wellbeing Centre on Burnley Street, a 25m pool with six lanes.
LOCAL TIP
Take along a half-finished project to a library group and see who asks about it.
How to
Four hobby-led ways to meet friends in Oldham
1
Bring your yarn to a knit and natter group at Failsworth or Limehurst library.
2
Join a monthly readers’ group at Royton or Lees and read the next book together.
3
Message Oldham women on Gofrendly who share your craft and suggest working on projects together.
4
Book an art or craft class with Oldham Lifelong Learning and stay for the whole course.
Read one, then pick up your needles
Oldham makers' page: the people behind it
Gofrendly’s founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja drafted this page with the rest of our editorial staff, thinking of Oldham women who want to take up a hobby again in their 40s and meet people through it.
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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