- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 17, 2026
Make Friends in Reading Around a Busy Working Week
Two in five Reading residents are aged 25 to 49, well above the regional share, so the town is full of people fitting friendships around work.
183,000+
people in Reading, from the ONS population estimate for mid-2025
40%
of people living in Reading are 25 to 49, against 32% across the South East (ONS mid-2025)
32%
of Reading households live in private rented homes, against a South East figure of 19% (Census 2021, ONS)
Reading friendships fit around work
Making friends in Reading is easier when one plan fits around your working week and you keep it. Forbury Gardens at lunchtime, a stroll on the Thames path or a show at The Hexagon all work as regular fixtures, and a club that meets on a set evening gives you time with the same people week in, week out. Gofrendly can point you to like-minded women in Reading too.
Questions about Reading, answered
Does Reading have city status?
No. Reading has bid for city status several times without success, so officially it is still a town. For making friends, that size helps: Reading has plenty of clubs, classes and venues, and a compact centre that keeps regular plans easy to reach.
Where can you meet people in Reading after work?
Evening classes, running clubs, choirs and sports teams all meet after working hours in Reading, and The Hexagon has regular shows. Choose something on a fixed evening, close to home or the station, so it survives a busy week at the office.
Can women in Reading find friends online?
Yes. Gofrendly is a women-only friendship app where you can browse women living around Reading and say hello before meeting in person. Pairing it with one regular activity, such as a club or class, gives a new friendship somewhere to grow beyond the first coffee.
What are good walks in Reading?
The Thames Path between Reading and Caversham is an easy riverside route, and the Kennet towpath runs right through the town centre. Forbury Gardens and Palmer Park suit a shorter lunchtime loop. In Reading, a regular walk is an easy plan to repeat with a new friend.
Reading after hours
Reading is a large town with a busy railway station, the University of Reading to the south of the centre and two rivers, the Thames and the Kennet, running through it. Commuters who want to make friends in Reading should look for clubs that meet early, late or on Saturdays, so your plans do not depend on getting home on time. Neighbourhoods such as Caversham and Whitley have their own parks and community halls, which keeps things local. Riverside paths along both rivers are some of the easiest places to walk and talk.
Two in five people in Reading fall in the 25 to 49 range, and nearly one home in three is rented privately, both higher than across the South East. That is a lot of people in the same busy stage of life, and if work has become most of your social world, it is easy to feel a bit lonely at weekends. One regular plan outside work changes that. Places to start:
1
Forbury Gardens, the Victorian park in the town centre next to the Abbey Ruins.
2
Reading Abbey Ruins, the remains of the abbey founded by Henry I in 1121.
3
The Thames Path between Reading and Caversham, good for walks of any length.
4
The Hexagon, the town’s theatre and concert venue.
5
Reading Museum in the Town Hall, home to a full-size Victorian replica of the Bayeux Tapestry.
LOCAL TIP
Pick the one that suits your schedule rather than your ambition.
How to
Simple ways to start in Reading
1
Join a running club or the parkrun nearest you, and stick to one regular morning.
2
Book a show at The Hexagon and invite someone from a class or club you go to.
3
Use Gofrendly to message a woman close by in Reading and meet for a lunchtime walk in Forbury Gardens.
4
Try volunteering at weekends, when shifts fit around a working week.
On time and friendship
Credits for the Reading guide
This Reading guide comes from Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja and our editorial team, written for women who want friendships that fit around work, commuting and everything else.
Friendship looks different at every stage
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Friendship looks different at every stage
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