- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Washwood Heath and nearby
Nearly three in ten people in the ward around Washwood Heath are 15 or under, so friendships here often start among parents.
28,000+
live in Alum Rock ward, which was largely formed from the old Washwood Heath ward in 2018 (Census 2021, ONS)
29%
of that ward’s residents are 15 or under; for Birmingham as a whole it is 22% (Census 2021, ONS)
28%
of its homes are married couples raising dependent children, compared with 16% in the city (Census 2021, ONS)
Washwood Heath friendships begin at the park gate
To make friends in Washwood Heath, start with the places families already use and visit them at a regular hour. Ward End Park has 54 acres and a boating lake, Ward End Library on Washwood Heath Road opens four days a week with free parking, and Alum Rock Road nearby is the area’s main shopping street. Gofrendly also lets you meet Washwood Heath women from neighbouring streets.
Washwood Heath: making friends, explained
Which ward is Washwood Heath in now?
Washwood Heath stopped being a ward in 2018, and most of the old ward became Alum Rock ward. The figures on this Washwood Heath page come from Alum Rock ward at the 2021 census, which is the closest match for the area today.
Where can families get outdoors near Washwood Heath?
For families near Washwood Heath, Ward End Park offers a boating lake, a tennis court and space to play, with Adderley Park in Saltley as another choice. Neither has toilets, so plan around that. Regular visits are the easiest way for local parents to get talking.
Is there somewhere indoors to meet people around Washwood Heath?
Yes. Ward End Library on Washwood Heath Road opens four days a week and has free parking, and Saltley Wellbeing Centre in Bordesley Green stays open until 10pm on weekdays. A regular indoor stop gives Washwood Heath women a place to meet the same faces in any weather.
Can you get to know Washwood Heath women before a first walk?
Yes. Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, helps women in Washwood Heath find others in nearby streets and message them. With so many busy family homes in the area, a short walk or a tea after the school run is a realistic first plan.
The people of Washwood Heath
Washwood Heath no longer has a ward of its own: since 2018 most of the old Washwood Heath ward has been part of Alum Rock ward. The area is young and family-centred. Over 29% of people are aged 15 or under, and more than one home in four belongs to a married couple with children at home. If your days are taken up with school runs, relatives and housework, it is worth carving out a small, fixed hour each week for your own friendships.
A full house does not stop the days feeling lonely, particularly if your closest friends live in another part of the city. The local park is where adults meet without having to plan much, and a library or leisure centre gives you somewhere to go on rainy days. Coming back each week matters far more than how long you stay on each visit to the park. Close by:
1
Ward End Park, 54 acres in all, offering a boating lake and one tennis court.
2
Ward End Library on Washwood Heath Road, open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
3
Adderley Park in Saltley, another local park in neighbouring Saltley.
4
Saltley Wellbeing Centre on Broadway Avenue, in neighbouring Bordesley Green, open into the evening on weekdays.
5
Alum Rock Road, the long shopping street just to the south.
LOCAL TIP
Return to one of these weekly and the conversations follow.
How to
Meeting other women around Washwood Heath
1
Walk a lap of the lake in Ward End Park on a set weekday morning and greet the walkers you keep passing.
2
Call into Ward End Library on a fixed morning and get on first-name terms with the people you keep seeing.
3
Use Gofrendly to find Washwood Heath women and walk round the lake in Ward End Park together.
4
Ask another parent from school for a quick tea after drop-off; keep the first plan small.
A true story and a guide to time
Washwood Heath: about this page's writers
This Washwood Heath page is by Gofrendly’s two founders, Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja, and our editors, for women who spend much of the week caring for family and want friendships of their own.
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.