A GROUP of volunteers whose efforts to fight loneliness and isolation among elderly people have been nominated for one of the paper’s most sought-after Community Star honours, the Volunteer of the Year Award.

The prize, previously won by an 85-year-old busker who raised more than £30,000 for a children’s hospice, may go this year to the Friday Friends of the Moulsecoomb and Bevendean estates.

In less than a year, the group is said to have made a “massive impact” on the lives of older people by organising and providing transport for socialising and playing bingo over lunch every week at The Bevy pub in Hillside.

The Bevy pub chairman Warren Carter, 50, who nominated the team, said: “Every Friday 30 or more older people come along to The Bevy to enjoy lunch and bingo but most importantly to meet up and have a chat and a laugh, tackling the isolation and loneliness that is sadly so widespread in today’s society for older people.

“The Friday Friends is entirely run by volunteers – they organise the transport that picks people up, they sort out hospital appointments and they are a sympathetic ear on the phone to help with problems.”

The group also organises trips out and parties for special occasions, including a celebration for the Queen’s 90th birthday which was attended by more than 50 people.

Mr Carter added: “I am so proud of the hard work they do that makes Friday Friends such a fantastic success story.

“Special mention must go to Dave and Barbara Gibbons, the unofficial landlord and landlady of The Bevy, who make sure nothing is too much trouble and go that extra mile to make everyone feel welcome and make sure older people are not forgotten.

“They’ll hate being in the paper but they work so hard they deserve to be recognised.”

The Volunteer of the Year Award is sponsored by UK Power Networks.