ELDERLY residents who are unable to go away had their holidays brought to them last week.

In the comfort of their home town, more than 80 people spent the week at the Holiday at Home club in Devizes Road Evangelical Church.

The week-long club was set up to give retired folk a chance to take part in a variety of activities, meet new friends and enjoy a day trip to the Cotswolds.

Organiser Ruth Williams said the event had been a huge success.

“We did a similar week of events last year and it has been so successful again this year with around 80 people coming in every day that we want to make it an annual thing,” she said.

Those that took part, including someone aged 98, had the opportunity to do porcelain plate painting, cake decorating, make bird houses and knitting for charity among other activities.

Ruth said: “It is aimed at those elderly people that are unable to go away on holiday for whatever reason, so we take them on trips, we do lots of different things each day.

“It is important for the people in our local community to have an opportunity like this and everyone has really enjoyed themselves.

“One day we had a little concert with the girls from the church singing, we’ve had a quiz afternoon, and armchair aerobics which went down really well.”