- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Gillingham, beside the Great Lines fortifications
Gillingham became a borough on 17 August 1903, and today about one household in seven in its central wards is a lone-parent family.
59,000+
people in four Gillingham wards, from Gillingham North to Watling, Rainham left out (Census 2021, ONS)
15%
of households in Gillingham’s four central wards are lone-parent families; South East: 10% (Census 2021, ONS)
28%
of households there rent privately, well over the South East figure of 19% (ONS, 2021)
Gillingham has a Thursday Knit 'n' Natter
Knit ‘n’ Natter at Gillingham Library on the High Street, on Thursday afternoons, is a gentle way to make friends in Gillingham. Great Lines parkrun crosses the Great Lines Heritage Park every Saturday at 9am, the High Street market trades on Mondays and Saturdays, and Riverside Country Park on the Medway has a visitor centre café. Gillingham women can also say hello on Gofrendly.
Gillingham friendship, answered
When is Knit 'n' Natter at Gillingham Library?
Knit ‘n’ Natter meets at Gillingham Library, 3 High Street, on Thursdays from 1.30pm to 2.30pm. Take along any knitting or crochet project: it is a relaxed hour in the middle of the week, and seeing familiar faces every Thursday makes it an easy first step towards friendship in Gillingham.
Where is Great Lines parkrun in Gillingham?
Great Lines parkrun starts at 9am on Saturdays in Great Lines Heritage Park, off Brompton Road in Gillingham, crossing the old fortifications of the Chatham Lines. The heritage park also holds Green Heritage Site status as well as a 2026 Green Flag, and walkers, runners and volunteers are all welcome.
Does the Royal Engineers Museum in Gillingham charge entry?
Yes. The Royal Engineers Museum on Prince Arthur Road in Gillingham charges £17.50 for an adult, with a cheaper local adult rate, and the ticket lasts 12 months. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, so repeat visits with a friend are easy.
What helps single parents in Gillingham find friends?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, is a way for Gillingham single parents and other women to spot women close by and say hello first. A play in Gillingham Park or a walk at Riverside Country Park is a friendly first plan with children in tow.
Gillingham, one of the Medway Towns
Gillingham faces the River Medway next to Chatham, with the Royal Engineers at Brompton, the fortifications of the Great Lines above the town and the estuary walks of Riverside Country Park to the east. In four central wards, lone-parent families make up nearly 15% of households and 28% of homes are rented privately, well over the regional figures. If you are a single parent or new to a rented flat, a regular weekly group soon gives you people you can really count on.
Even a lively town like Gillingham can seem lonely when your evenings are spent at home. Gillingham Library also hosts a walking group and a social and games group on Wednesday mornings, Medway Park on Mill Road has a pool and swimming lessons, and Gillingham Park and Hillyfields Community Park both hold 2026 Green Flags. The Love Gillingham weekend brought a Big Day Out to the town in July 2026. A few ideas:
1
Gillingham Library on the High Street, home of Knit ‘n’ Natter.
2
Great Lines Heritage Park, with its 18th-century fortifications.
3
Riverside Country Park on Lower Rainham Road, with a visitor centre café.
4
Medway Park on Mill Road, with a pool and swimming lessons.
5
The Gillingham Market stalls, trading Mondays and Saturdays.
LOCAL TIP
Put the Thursday Knit ‘n’ Natter in your diary and keep the slot.
How to
Gillingham: where to meet people
1
Join the library walking group on a Wednesday morning.
2
Walk or run Great Lines parkrun and volunteer as a timekeeper.
3
Line up a coffee at the Riverside Country Park café with Gillingham women from Gofrendly.
4
Sign up for a term of swimming lessons at Medway Park.
Friendship in numbers, and the apps that help
The Gillingham page, and who wrote it
Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja wrote the Gillingham page, helped by our editors, with Medway Towns women in mind who are single parents, renting or simply after a few more 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.