FRIENDLY Christchurch pensioners celebrated a special anniversary of a popular widows’ social club in the town on Tuesday.

Ladies from the New Horizons Widows Club in Christchurch celebrated the second anniversary of the much-loved group with tea, cake and a visit from the Mayor of Christchurch, Cllr Peter Hall and Mayoress, Sally Hall.

Betty Hope, 80, who helped to set-up the group, has seen numbers rise from 12 to 50 people in the past 18 months.

She said: “I am over the moon to think that this little group has really taken off and I am still here. We’re a family here. There are no cliques, I won’t allow that. We’re all one big group together.”

The New Horizons, which is supported by Dorset Partnership for Older People Programme (POPP), meets on Tuesday mornings from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Christchurch Baptist Church Hall.

“It’s an important service for the community and I wanted everyone to share it with us. I get so much out of it and the ladies are always telling me how much they love this club,” Betty added.

While the widows club is thriving, Richard and Irene Brocklehurst, who run the men’s group – the Phoenix Fellowship Group for Widowers – from 10.30am-12.30pm on Mondays, say they are keen to encourage more people to come along.

“We are a little different in terms of membership and activities”, Richard said.

“Initially we only had four members but now there are 13.

“But with our club, we are more of a social group.”

Richard and Irene can be contacted on 01425 279656.