This is a real friendship story about women in their 40s and 50s who found new friends through Gofrendly, the women-only friendship app. Here’s how it happened for Sara, Lisa, Petra-Lisa and Madeleine, and Elna, as they told it to us.
Key Takeaways
- Sara, newly single with a son who had flown the nest, met Tanja and Maria on a triple date.
- Lisa’s first Gofrendly activity was a salsa night, where she met Katarina and Thiaba.
- Petra-Lisa and Madeleine’s first walk turned into proper hiking, and Elna and Linda’s friendship kept going when Elna’s life changed.
Sara’s Real Friendship Story: A Triple Date
“As a newly single woman whose son had flown the nest, I discovered how much time I suddenly had just for myself. It was hard to make everything fit with my existing friends, who have small children or live elsewhere,” Sara says.
“I found Gofrendly by chance and started chatting with Tanja. We decided to meet for a drink. Tanja is a very enterprising woman, and she had the brilliant idea of also inviting Maria, who she’d been chatting with. A wonderful initiative! We had a lovely triple date, and since that day we see each other often – concerts, bars, theatres and dinners. I love them both!”
“We also have a group chat that we’ve named the Gofrendly Girls. A lively chat with top-secret conversations.”
Lisa: A Salsa Night
“I started using the app because I wanted to meet new friends to do fun things with, like going out dancing, after-work drinks, concerts, travelling and working out. My first activity on Gofrendly was a salsa night in the autumn of 2021. There I met two close friends, Katarina and Thiaba, and we keep in touch regularly and come up with new fun things to do,” Lisa says.
“Time passes, but the friendship remains.”
— Elna, Gofrendly memberPetra-Lisa & Madeleine: From Walks to Hikes
“We met through the Gofrendly app on 14 April 2021. We both joined because we wanted to get to know new friends, and we found each other. We started by going for a walk together, and after that it just carried on with longer and longer walks, until we started hiking properly together,” Petra-Lisa and Madeleine say.
“Today we do most things together and we’re best friends. We quickly discovered we had a lot in common. We’re very grateful that Gofrendly exists – otherwise we’d never have found each other.”
Elna & Linda: A Friendship That Adapted
“I started using Gofrendly in 2018 because I value having friends close by – most of my old friends are scattered across the region and the country,” Elna says.
“Linda is so lovely, happy and spontaneous and always up for doing something, even though she has a family and a demanding job. We both like tapas restaurants and letting our hair down to cover bands. In February 2020 we topped our nights out with an 80s party. A brilliant night!”
“Then the pandemic came and everything changed. I became ill and have more or less had to give up nights out, for various reasons. But we’ve still had a few really fun nights. What I appreciate most about Linda is that she wants to keep meeting despite the changed circumstances. Nowadays we walk around a little lake nearby or lift weights at the gym. Time passes, but the friendship remains.”
Why New Friends in Midlife Matter
Two of these women mention old friends who live elsewhere, and UK figures suggest middle-aged adults are the most likely to have no close friends at all. In a Belonging Forum study on close friends and age, carried out by Opinium, 15% of people aged 45 to 64 said they had no close friends, compared with 5% of those aged 18 to 34.
15%of UK adults aged 45 to 64 say they have no close friends, compared with 5% of those aged 18 to 34.
Source: Belonging Forum / Opinium survey of 10,001 UK adults (March 2026)
Ready for Your Next Chapter?
Gofrendly is a women-only app for meeting new friends, whatever age you are.
What These Friendships Can Teach You
Their stories are a reminder of a few simple things.
- Invite one more. Tanja’s idea of inviting Maria turned one drink into a friendship between three.
- Start with something you enjoy. Lisa’s first Gofrendly activity was a salsa night.
- Start small. Petra-Lisa and Madeleine began with a walk, and it grew into hiking.
- Real friends adapt. Linda kept meeting Elna when Elna’s circumstances changed.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a real Gofrendly member story?
Yes. Sara, Lisa, Petra-Lisa and Madeleine, and Elna shared their own experiences of finding friends through Gofrendly, and their stories appear here as they shared them with us.
How did these women find their friends?
In different ways: Sara chatted with Tanja, who invited Maria along; Lisa went to a salsa night; Petra-Lisa and Madeleine started with a walk; and Elna, who started using Gofrendly in 2018, became friends with Linda.
Can I share my own Gofrendly friendship story?
We’d love to hear it – every real friendship story starts with someone sharing theirs. Share your friendship story through our form.
If you’re rebuilding your circle in your 40s, our guide on how to make friends after 40 is a good place to start, and our guide is it normal to not have friends? explains why circles change.
