October 21, 2026

Make Friends After 40 in Norfolk, Single and Setting the Plans

In Norfolk over 31% of households are someone living solo, above the regional figure, so single women here are hardly alone in their situation.

Norfolk single and over 40: two friends being playful under streetlights in the dark

945,000+

Norfolk county population, mid-2025 ONS estimate

31%

of Norfolk homes have a single resident; regional figure 29% (Census 2021)

54,000+

Norfolk women in their forties (ONS population estimate, mid-2025)

Norfolk weekends on your own terms

Single in your 40s in Norfolk? You have freedom with your time, and a few regular groups make sure it does not turn into too much quiet. The Norwich Choir holds taster sessions with no auditions, Norfolk Run Collective meets on Monday evenings with no booking, and Catton parkrun runs every Saturday. Gofrendly shows you other single women nearby who want plans.

Norfolk questions from single women over 40

Two single Norfolk women over 40 laughing with their bikes under shady branches

Do I need to book for Norfolk Run Collective?

No. Norfolk Run Collective meets on Mondays at 6.30pm at Sloughbottom Park Pavilion in Norwich and asks for no booking or fee. Routes follow Marriott’s Way, with a longer loop of about four miles and a shorter one of two, so most Norfolk runners can find a pace.

Is there a choir in Norfolk without auditions?

The Norwich Choir has been singing since 2008 and does not hold auditions, and it offers taster sessions so you can try a rehearsal first. For a single woman in Norfolk, a choir provides a weekly group and concerts to look forward to.

Single and in your 40s, where do you start making friends in Norfolk?

Set up two or three weekly fixtures you can go to alone, then invite one person you meet there for a coffee. Gofrendly, the women-only friendship app, helps you find other single women in Norfolk who are keen to make plans.

Are there online book groups in Norfolk?

Yes. Norfolk Libraries runs an online book group on the last Wednesday of each month at 8pm on Zoom, and Reading Friends meets online every Tuesday at 6.30pm. Both suit dark Norfolk evenings when staying in beats driving country roads.

Making friends in Norfolk when you are single

Without a partner, weekends in Norfolk can be wonderfully open or slightly too empty, depending on the week. Friends in couples tend to socialise with other couples, and invitations become rarer without anyone meaning it. Long country drives between villages make spontaneous plans harder still. Single friends from your thirties may may have moved away or paired off, so the circle needs topping up on purpose. The fix is to have a few fixtures you do not need anyone else to arrange: a Monday run, a choir rehearsal, an online book group on a dark evening. Being part of something regular is the simplest way to make friends after 40 when you are not one half of a couple.

Around 31% of households in the county are one person, above the figure for the region, and plenty of neighbours are single too. Living on your own need not be lonely if the week has a few fixed points. Some to consider:

The Norwich Choir, singing since 2008 with no auditions and taster sessions for newcomers.

Norfolk Run Collective, meeting on Mondays at 6.30pm at Sloughbottom Park Pavilion for routes of about two or four miles.

Catton parkrun in Catton Park, Norwich, a 5k every Saturday morning.

The Norfolk Libraries online book group, on the last Wednesday of the month at 8pm.

Reading Friends, an online group from Norfolk Libraries every Tuesday at 6.30pm.

LOCAL TIP

A fixed Monday plan makes the whole week feel lighter.

How to

Ways for a single woman to meet people in Norfolk

Turn up at Sloughbottom Park Pavilion on a Monday at 6.30pm for a Norfolk Run Collective route along Marriott’s Way.

Book a taster session with The Norwich Choir.

Search Gofrendly for single women over 40 close by and plan a Sunday walk together.

Join the Norfolk Libraries online book group for a sociable evening from home.

For single women writing their own plans

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Written for single women in Norfolk

Our editors and Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja wrote the Norfolk guide for solo women in their forties, focusing on weekly groups you can join without bringing anyone along.