A new group for Bradford pensioners has been set up to give them more power.

And their message is: We're not just about cups of tea and bingo!

The OAPs claim they are not being heard by local councillors or at national level and they want a stronger voice to get some action.

About 25 representatives from groups across the region attended a meeting at Bradford Central Library yesterday to set up a steering group.

Peter Raistrick, of the Retired Persons' Action Group (RPAG), said: "Pensioners are losing out all the time.

"I used to go to night school and there was a pensioners' concession and that went. And now free bus fares are under threat. Bit by bit, things are being eroded. Pensioners in Europe are better off than we are.

"Also more younger people are becoming interested in our issues because they are concerned about issues such as pensions."

The idea is to set up a group with financial backing from the Community Network (Cnet), which gets £170,000 a year from the Government to strengthen groups at grass roots level.

Mr Raistrick added: "We need to bring all our organisations together to get the strong voice we deserve."

His wife Audrey, secretary of the RPAG, said there was plenty t o be done but finance was needed to make them more powerful.

"Our group on its own does not have the finances to do very much.

"But combined with others and with backing from the Community Network, we could make much more happen." She said the ultimate aim would be to set up a Pensioners' Parliament which could challenge the existing powers and properly represent the issues that mattered to pensioners.

Steven Kingston, development worker for Cnet, said: "Our role is to empower communities.

"Raising pensioners' issues is an important part of that process.

"Our money is there for groups which do not have the money to do it themselves - although we are not the be-all and end-all."

The next meeting will take place in the New Year.