- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Sutton-in-Ashfield, at the library and the forest park
Unmarried couples living together head about 14% of Sutton-in-Ashfield households, a little above the regional share.
36,400+
people counted in the Sutton-in-Ashfield urban area, 2021 census (ONS)
14%
of homes across ten Ashfield wards covering the town are cohabiting couples, regionally 12% (ONS, Census 2021)
12%
of households across ten Ashfield wards covering Sutton-in-Ashfield are lone-parent families; East Midlands 10% (census 2021, ONS)
Sutton-in-Ashfield has a library group most days
An easy way to make friends in Sutton-in-Ashfield is the library inside the Idlewells Shopping Centre, where knitters meet for Knit and Natter each Monday afternoon, a poetry group gathers on Thursdays and Places of Welcome serves tea on Friday mornings. Brierley Forest Park is home to a 9am parkrun every Saturday, and the outdoor market sets up on Fox Street each Monday. Women in Sutton-in-Ashfield can also meet through Gofrendly.
Sutton-in-Ashfield: making friends FAQ
Which groups meet at Sutton-in-Ashfield library?
The library in the Idlewells Shopping Centre hosts Knit and Natter each Monday afternoon, an open reading group on the first Monday, a poetry group on Thursdays, a Crime Café book club on the second Wednesday and a Places of Welcome drop-in on Fridays in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
Which park hosts Sutton-in-Ashfield's parkrun?
Brierley Forest parkrun starts at 9am every Saturday in Brierley Forest Park, just outside the centre of Sutton-in-Ashfield. The 78-hectare park sits on the old Sutton Colliery site and is a Green Flag winner, and walkers are as welcome on the course as runners.
Is there an ice rink in Sutton-in-Ashfield?
Yes. Lammas Leisure Centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield has an ice rink, a gym, indoor bowls, a teaching pool and a 25-metre pool. Booking the same skate or swim session each week means meeting familiar faces, which makes starting a conversation much easier.
How can women in Sutton-in-Ashfield meet others?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, connects Sutton-in-Ashfield women with others in the neighbourhood, and anyone can start the conversation. Proposing the Friday drop-in at the library or a stroll in Brierley Forest Park is a low-key first meeting, and simple to repeat.
Sutton-in-Ashfield, a former mining town
Sutton-in-Ashfield is the largest town in Ashfield district, west of Mansfield, and some of its former colliery land has become parkland, such as Brierley Forest Park. Across its ten wards, unmarried couples living together make up roughly 14% of households and lone-parent families around 12%, both slightly higher than for the region. If you are juggling work and children, or have recently moved in with a partner, a weekly slot just for you can make the difference between recognising your neighbours and actually knowing them.
When everybody around you seems busy, a town of this size can feel lonely. Sutton-in-Ashfield has a busy weekly library programme, a large green space at Brierley Forest Park and a leisure centre with an ice rink, so there is somewhere regular to meet in every season. Kings Mill Reservoir, with the Mill Waters Café, adds a weekend outing, and the Monday market is a good excuse to be in the town centre. Places to start:
1
Sutton-in-Ashfield Library in the Idlewells Shopping Centre, with Knit and Natter, a poetry group and a Friday drop-in.
2
Brierley Forest Park, about 78 hectares on the former Sutton Colliery site, with a Saturday parkrun.
3
Lammas Leisure Centre, with a 25-metre pool, an ice rink and indoor bowls.
4
The Monday outdoor market on Fox Street.
5
Kings Mill Reservoir, home to the Mill Waters Café and the Mill Adventure Base.
LOCAL TIP
Pick a weekday group at the library and add the parkrun on Saturdays.
How to
Sutton-in-Ashfield: how to find new friends
1
Go to the Friday Places of Welcome tea at the library and take a seat beside someone different each time.
2
Walk or run Brierley Forest parkrun and have a drink with the others afterwards.
3
Through Gofrendly, invite a Sutton-in-Ashfield woman for a coffee at the Mill Waters Café by Kings Mill Reservoir.
4
Book a skating session at Lammas Leisure Centre with a new friend and laugh at the wobbles.
One true story, and a friendship that's over
Sutton-in-Ashfield: the writers behind this page
Our editors and Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja wrote about Sutton-in-Ashfield for women in the former mining town who would like more regular company nearby.
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.