- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 17, 2026
Make Friends in Havering: Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster
Only about one in six Havering households rents privately, roughly half the London rate, so neighbours in Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster tend to stay, and friendships have time to grow.
280,000+
people live in Havering (ONS population estimate, mid-2025)
16%
of households rent privately, about half the London figure of 30% (Census 2021, ONS)
13%
of Havering households are a single resident over 66, against 9% in London (Census 2021, ONS)
Havering friendships last because people stay
To make friends in Havering, pick a regular local activity and stick with it long enough to become one of the familiar crowd. A Saturday walk in Raphael Park, a show at the Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch or a browse round Romford Market will keep you crossing paths with the same people. Choose the one nearest your station. Gofrendly also lists women in Havering who would like to meet.
Meeting people in Havering: FAQs
Does it take longer to make friends in Havering if you have moved from inner London?
It can feel slower at first, because many Havering residents have lived in the borough for years. Settled circles do open up through shared activities, and groups built around one usually welcome newcomers. Pick one near your home in Romford, Hornchurch or Upminster and keep going for a couple of months.
Beyond the shops in Romford, where can you meet people in Havering?
Quite a lot. Havering has Hornchurch Country Park and the Bedfords Park nature reserve, plays at the Queen’s Theatre, the restored Upminster Windmill and long walks along the borough’s green edge. Anything that meets weekly gives you people to recognise and an easy reason to say hello next time.
Can you meet people in Havering during the daytime?
Yes. Havering’s libraries and leisure centres timetable daytime classes, and parks such as Raphael Park have regular walkers every morning. With a larger share of older residents than London overall, daytime groups are often lively. Turning up on the same weekday every week makes you a familiar face quickly.
What is a good first plan with a new friend in Havering?
Something short and close to home: a lap of Raphael Park, a coffee in Upminster or a stroll round Hornchurch Country Park. If you found each other on Gofrendly, the women-only friendship app, agree the time and place by message before you go, so nobody in Havering has to improvise.
Havering, between town and countryside
Havering sits on London’s eastern edge, and it feels it: Romford is a busy shopping and nightlife town, while Upminster, Cranham and Harold Wood open onto fields and country parks. Home ownership is high and far fewer people rent privately than across London, so residents tend to stay for years. That gives friendships here a long runway, so give established circles a little patience. Joining something with a membership list, such as a choir, a club or a volunteer team, is the usual way in, because those groups usually welcome new people.
The borough also has a larger share of older residents than London as a whole, and around one in eight households is someone over 66 living alone. Many of those neighbours would welcome company, so a mixed-age club or a volunteering slot can work both ways. If you have found Havering lonely since moving out from inner London, start with something fixed in the week. A few places to try:
1
Raphael Park near Gidea Park, with a large lake and tree-lined paths.
2
Hornchurch Country Park, on a former airfield, with wetlands and wide walking routes.
3
The Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch, which produces its own plays.
4
Upminster Windmill, a restored smock mill with visits and volunteer days.
5
Romford Market, which has traded in the town centre for centuries.
LOCAL TIP
Keep returning to one of them and let familiarity do the rest.
How to
Your first four moves in Havering
1
Join one weekly group near your station, such as a walking club in Hornchurch Country Park or a choir in Romford.
2
Volunteer somewhere with regulars, from a heritage site like Upminster Windmill to a community garden, so conversation comes with the task.
3
Browse Gofrendly for women in Elm Park, Collier Row or Harold Hill, then suggest a lap of your local park.
4
When a circle seems settled, say yes to every second invitation. That is usually when you stop being new.
For your reading list
About the authors
This page comes from the Gofrendly editorial team and founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja, for women in Havering who want friendships that grow at the borough’s steadier pace.
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.