BRINGING the meals on wheels service to Benarty and ensuring senior citizens in the area could take advantage of the surpluses of EEC butter and beef mountains, along with assisting former miners to be assisted in applying for compensation for health issues connected with the coal industry, are just some of the success stories of Lochore and District Old People's Welfare Council.

The council celebrated its 60th birthday with a special event held at Lochore Institute when the organisation's chairman, Joe Paterson, recalled the many achievements of the past six decades.

Joe, who told the Times that he had joined the Welfare Council in 1973 when a councillor, said that through the hard work of many volunteers over many decades, it had played a vital role for generations of senior citizens.

At the meal, when entertainment was provided by Kelty's Jim Foster, there were several people who had been part of the Lochore Old People's Welfare Council success story over many decades.

They included former councillor Willie Clarke, Twinnie White, Jean Adams, Phyllis Connelly, Lillian Connelly and Ann Hay.

Said Joe: "The Welfare Council was formed in August 1957 when the first chairman was Dr McEwan Sinclair who had the headteacher at St Kenneth's Primary, Mr D Barnes as his vice chair, with secretary W Gray, assistant secretary F Nowrie and treasurer W Dick.

"In 1960 Douglas Johnston joined the Welfare Council as treasurer and he was to become a very important figure over many years helping guide it through some challenging times."