A "coffee and chat club", which was sparked by friends more than two years ago to tackle elderly loneliness in Failsworth, has received a financial boost to keep the heating on.

Anne Thompson and Diane Andrews decided to launch their club for older members of their community who had become lonely and isolated during the pandemic.

Speaking to The Oldham Times in 2022, Ms Andrews said: “We conceived the idea of a coffee and chat group as we recognise that the older members of our community needed some TLC.

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“We live in Woodhouses which was once a predominately pig farming area where most of the cottages were occupied by farm workers and their families.

“But as the pig farms have now all gone and new houses have been built, a younger demographic has moved in and the church in the village has been without a vicar for some time.

“There are no social connections there like there once was.

“We felt that social interaction would help their mental and physical wellbeing as many had not been out of the house since lockdown.”

The pair got to work planning a way to connect with vulnerable and older people in the area, and ever since their inception in March 2022, the group has seen more than 70 residents meet at Woodhouses Cricket Club every Wednesday between 10am and 12pm.

The non-profit group has thrived and says it does more than just eat cake and chatter with members enjoying "sit down yoga" sessions to improve their health and mobility, plus a raft of other activities.

As the club funds its staffing and relies heavily on donations and grants to help keep the club going, the McCarthy Stone Foundation said it "spotted an opportunity to help" and has pledged £500 to help with its utility bills.

The donation is just one of several being made as part of the retirement developer’s Happier, Healthier Project which aims to provide financial assistance to community groups that help to support the independence and wellbeing of older people in the area.

Ms Andrews said: “We want to say huge thank you to the McCarthy Stone Foundation for their generous donation.

"Anne and I came up with the idea of a coffee and chat group following the pandemic, as we knew many older members of our community hadn’t been out of their house since and felt lonely as a result.

“The group has become a key part of the Failsworth community, offering a welcoming environment where members can enjoy a brew and the company of like-minded individuals.

"Our official opening time is 10am, but most of our members are here by 9am, as we often have the heating on, so they like to escape the cold and waste no time in catching up with one another.

"They’re a great bunch, with our oldest members being 93 and 90.

"Using McCarthy Stone’s donation, we can continue to offer a safe meeting space for our members.”

Declan Fishwick, business development manager at McCarthy Stone, added: “Supporting and engaging with the communities close to our developments is a key focus at McCarthy Stone and we are delighted, in partnership with the McCarthy Stone Foundation, to lend a helping hand to the ‘coffee and chat’ club in Failsworth, which has been a prominent feature in the town since its setup in 2022.

“As a company specialising in the development of friendly and welcoming communities for retirees, the happiness and welfare of older people is at the heart of everything we do. This makes initiatives such as this a great fit for us.

"We look forward to seeing the group continue its work in supporting the wider community through its range of activities.”

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