A GROUP created especially for retired and semi-retired men across Craven celebrated a quarter of a century of existence this week.

Fourteen past chairmen of Sutton Retired Men's Forum attended Tuesday's weekly meeting to reminisce about their time with the organisation. They included 91-year-old Bernard Holt, the oldest living past chairman. Also present was the 1995 chairman George Hilton, who moved to Lytham St Anne's and is now president of the retired men's forum there.

He helped unveil a framed list of past chairmen which is now hanging on the wall at the group's meeting place, Sutton Baptist Church.

Sutton Retired Men's Forum was founded in August 1974 by the Rev Edward Lewis, the Baptist minister in the village at the time. Its aims were to give retired and semi-retired men the chance to meet others and give them the opportunity to keep in touch with spiritual, educational and social aspects of life.

The group has more than 100 paid-up members with an average weekly attendance of between 80 and 90 for speakers and slide shows.

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