A SENIOR citizens' club in Winchester has closed after more than 45 years helping people.
Members of The Rainbow Club played bingo and enjoyed a light tea to mark the last day.
Everyone received a leaving gift and a celebration cake was cut by Gwen Dyke, the club's leader.
A few supporters from the community attended and Gwen's daughter and granddaughter joined in too.
Gwen said: "I'm very sad for the group to end and disappointed that a new leader couldn't be found.
"My favourite memories are of the holidays that they took together, coach trips to various locations and Christmas dinners.
"I am going to miss meeting other members and knows others will miss this too."
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All the remaining money left in the club's "pot" will be donated to Winchester Hospice.
The Red Cross Rainbow Club was founded in 1978 for the Senior Citizens of Stanmore estate. Numbers were capped at 70 and there was a waiting list for new members.
In 1980, Gwen, a local resident took over the leadership of the group and has continued to do so for 44 years. Now she is approaching 87 years old, she felt that the time had come to step down from leadership.
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In the mid-1980s, the Red Cross's funding came to an end, and a committee was formed to run the club with its own funds. It then became just The Rainbow Club.
Pre-Covid attendance numbers had dropped to 35-40 and after Covid only reached 18-20. This was another reason the club came to a natural end.
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