SECRETARY of the Bicester Widows group, Rita Mechen, knows how hard it can be to lose your partner.

She said: “It takes a lot of courage for a widow to go out and meet people on her own.”

The Bicester Widows, set up four years ago, aims to bring together bereaved women and provide a place for friendship and support.

And now the group can reach out to more people than ever before, after they received £500 from the Red Nose Community Cash fund.

Mrs Mechen said: “It was lovely to find out we had got some money. We hoped to get something to subsidise our different outings throughout the year.

“We part-fund lots of trips. We recently had lunch out in Burford, went to Bourton-on-the-Water, and there are lots of different shows we go to.

“It improves the life of people in the area who would normally be at home.”

Mrs Mechen, 67, lost her husband Walter when she was just 46.

She said: “There was nothing around for me then, so it was quite sad.

“When you become a widow, it can be difficult to go out alone, to meet new people.

“So we always say people can phone us first if they like, or maybe meet just a few of us first.”

The group currently has 46 members and meets on the first Monday of every month.

Mrs Mechen said: “There are more widows than that in the area, which is quite sad really. But this group makes such a difference.

“We started it four years ago. It’s just grown and people have made so many new friends.

“It gets people out and mixing with other people.

She added: “When you are on your own, it is a bit daunting to go out somewhere by yourself.”

“But once they come along, people really enjoy it and we have grown from just 20 people.

“Most of them are over 65, and we have all now got lots of friends. I have met many close friends and many of us go on holiday together.”