Joining the widows group in Yardley by Barbara Smith

After I lost my husband in 1993 I was feeling lost. A friend suggested that It might interest me to visit the Widows group in Hall Green. After two years of being a member of the Hall Green widows group the group had to close down and in 1995 a friend asked me if I would go with her to the Yardley group. I was a bit apprehensive as this was not an area I knew very well and I didn’t know anybody. When we arrived we were made to feel welcome. The meetings were held on a Sunday which meant the buses were quite awkward and this meant that I either arrived to early or to late. I choose to arrive early and would wait outside for the meeting to start. My friend Ann who I originally went with lived in Olton and her son would drop her off so we would meet up there. Soon after joining the group as I was leaving one day and it was raining badly another member of the group asked me where I lived. I told her Tyesley and it turned out that she only lived around the corner from me and as she was in the car she offered me a lift, her name is Margaret and she continued to pick me up and drop me off until Margret’s car was written off. We then use to get a taxi together until a lady called Jenny offered to take us to the meetings and she still does this today.
Margaret then told me that she came to South Yardley library for its coffee morning and asked me if I wanted to come along. She made it sound so much fun that I did. Today we still attend both of these groups.
Joining the widows and attending the library has kept me going and gave me a new lease of life. I have made some wonderful friends and we have been on days out and go out for meals. Without the support and friendship of these groups I feel I would have fallen apart. They are a great resource for the community and was something I personally needed to help me.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Mercurial Arts
Heritage Lottery Fund
Oasis Academy Hobmoor