A COMMUNITY group has proved such a big hit in Radcliffe that it is now expanding to other parts of the borough.

Friendly Faces launched as a weekly event at Radcliffe Borough Football Club in September 2015, designed to reduce social isolation among the town’s elderly residents.

A Bury branch of the group will now launch this Friday – meeting from 1pm to 2pm at Adult Care Connect and Direct, in Manchester Road – and there are also plans to open in Tottington.

Cherella Young, the group’s founder, said: “We have already had lots of people coming forward to volunteer, who have heard about the group from Facebook and would like to help us expand. It is really good that the word is getting around and the feedback we have had has been absolutely brilliant.

“The Bury group will meet for the first time on Friday and hopefully we will have a good number of people turn up. There are also talks about having a group set up in Tottington, and I have spoken to people who are interested in running that.”

The group was recently awarded £350 at the #LoveRadcliffe roadshow in Bolton Road Park and has now also received a £500 grant from Asda’s community fund.

She added: “The money we have received will go towards putting on the various forms of entertainment that we have every week, as well as funding towards arts and crafts and refreshments.

“I also want to put on a big Christmas party this year and give everyone a meal and a gift.

“The support we have had since opening has been brilliant and its fantastic that we have new volunteers now.”