COWBRIDGE Friendship Club have delivered Christmas shoeboxes to their members in order to connect while they cannot meet as usual.

Kay Edwards is a long-time member and the current chairperson of the club, which was formed 20 years ago.

The Friendship Club was started by The Red Cross: Kay recalls that meetings were held in the hut opposite the Broad Shoard.

"Cowbridge Friendship Club is for older people who cannot get out much and meet people," Kay told Nub News.

"We hold monthly meetings with speakers, crafts, or games and have afternoon tea afterwards.

"At the moment, of course, it's not running at all.

"We decided to do these Christmas boxes for people to show we're still thinking of them. It's just a nice idea," she said.

Kay delivered the boxes to club members yesterday, which contained mince pies, biscuits, sweets, cake, jam, hand cream, tissues and wipes.

She said the biggest task was wrapping the shoeboxes, given by a local shoe shop, in Christmas paper.

"For them, it's nice to see a face again," said Kay.

Cowbridge Friendship Club has just under twenty members, who usually meet in Llanblethian Church Hall on the last Thursday of the month.

The club runs itself with small weekly donations from attendees and are insured by Age Connect.

In September the group usually takes a day trip with a Green Links bus, and holds a Christmas party in December.

"People come to get out and meet each other," said Kay.

"We've all been missing it, but we will get going again!

"There's a big community spirit in Cowbridge."