- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Beeston, by the canal and the library
People aged 18 to 24 form around 16% of Beeston’s population, twice the borough share, so many residents are still building a circle.
22,800+
people live in the four Beeston wards of Broxtowe (Census 2021, ONS)
16%
of Beeston’s residents fell into the 18 to 24 age band at the census; Broxtowe’s figure is 8% (Census 2021, ONS)
31%
of Beeston households rent privately; in Broxtowe as a whole it is 17% (Census 2021, ONS)
Beeston has a knitting group and a canal-side parkrun
A dependable way to make friends in Beeston is to join a group with a fixed weekday. Beeston Library on Foster Avenue runs Knit and Natter on Wednesday mornings and Drop in and Draw on Thursdays, Beeston parkrun sets off from Weirfields Recreation Ground on Saturdays at 9am, and the canal towpath leads to Beeston Lock. On Gofrendly, Beeston women can also find one another.
What people ask about making friends in Beeston
Is Beeston part of Nottingham?
Beeston is a separate town in the borough of Broxtowe, on the south-west edge of Nottingham. The Beeston figures here come from Census 2021 for the Beeston Central, Beeston North, Beeston Rylands and Beeston West wards, home to more than 22,800 people.
What groups run at the library in Beeston?
The library on Foster Avenue in Beeston hosts Knit and Natter on Wednesday mornings, Drop in and Draw on Thursday mornings, and a science fiction and fantasy reading group on the second Wednesday of the month. Each one is an easy and friendly way into local life.
Where is the parkrun in Beeston?
Beeston parkrun starts at Weirfields Recreation Ground on Canal Side every Saturday at 9am, with the canal and the River Trent close by. Walking it is fine. For many Beeston residents, it becomes the fixed start to the weekend where faces become familiar.
Can Beeston women meet others nearby through an app?
Yes. Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, shows Beeston women who lives nearby, whether they are young adults, renters or long-term residents. Message first, then suggest a coffee by the canal or a library group, which keeps the first meeting simple and easy to repeat.
Beeston's mix of residents
Beeston is a town in Broxtowe, on the south-west side of Nottingham and close to the university. Across its four wards, about 16% of people are aged 18 to 24, double the Broxtowe share, and almost 31% of homes are privately rented. There are also many older residents, with more than one in seven aged 65 or over. With young adults, renters and long-term residents side by side, groups that welcome all ages are the easiest way to cross over, and you will find several within a short walk of the high road.
When the people you know move on after a course or a contract, the town can seem lonely until new routines settle in. The library groups, the parkrun and the canal are all open to anyone and run on a set day, so you can build a routine that does not depend on any one friend. Places worth a regular visit:
1
Beeston Library on Foster Avenue, with Knit and Natter on Wednesdays and Drop in and Draw on Thursdays.
2
Beeston parkrun at Weirfields Recreation Ground, Canal Side, on Saturdays at 9am.
3
Beeston Lock, where the canal meets the Trent, with the Boathouse Café at Beeston Marina nearby.
4
The science fiction and fantasy reading group at Beeston Library, on the second Wednesday of the month.
5
Chilwell Olympia leisure centre in neighbouring Chilwell.
LOCAL TIP
Try one group twice before deciding whether it is for you.
How to
Beeston: how to find your people
1
Bring your knitting, or simply come along, to the Wednesday Knit and Natter in Beeston Library.
2
Do Beeston parkrun on Saturday and walk the towpath to Beeston Lock afterwards with whoever is going.
3
Write to Beeston women on Gofrendly and suggest the Boathouse Café at Beeston Marina.
4
Join the monthly reading group so there is always a next meeting in the diary.
A real friendship, and why it's normal to have few friends
Beeston page, by our founders and editors
Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja, who founded Gofrendly, created the Beeston page with our editors, writing for women in a town of young adults, renters and long-time residents who want friends 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.