For many ex-servicemen and women, it can be difficult leaving behind the camaraderie and friendships that serving in the armed forces brings.

Loneliness and isolation can be a serious issue for veterans, especially as they grow older.

One group – the Gloucester Veterans Breakfast Club – is helping to bring veterans from all around the county together.

“We started this 4 years ago with just 6 people,” explained Mark Burton, the organiser of the event.

The Local Answer was invited along to the February meetup, which also happened to be the best attended event ever – 69 people came along to the monthly get together.

The group meet on the last Saturday of every month, at the Toby Carvery in Brockworth.

Speaking to some of the attendees – veterans ranging from ages of early thirties to late eighties – they all described the breakfast as one of the highlights of their month.

Most were local to Gloucester, however there were also people from Cheltenham, Stroud, Dursley, and other places around the county, and many shared a lift to and from the event and brought along partners or carers.

“For a lot of the older guys,” said one attendee, “this might be the only time they get out and about.”

The group welcomes all members of the armed forces, including the army, navy, and RAF, and there was plenty of friendly banter between the different services.

Breakfast was followed by a unique raffle – the audience was encouraged to shout out numbers rather than draw them from a hat – and prizes ranged from bottles of wine to books to novelty mugs.

Mark added: “It’s amazing, we get people who served in the same barracks but never met until they come. And then there’s people who haven’t seen each other in ages meet again.

“We have a saying here – there’s no such thing as strangers, just friends you haven’t met yet.”

The next Veterans Breakfast will be on Saturday 30th March at 9:15am, and the only cost is for a breakfast and an optional raffle ticket.

For more information on how to get involved contact Mark Burton on 07888 984552 or at mb024@yahoo.co.uk.

You can also visit the group’s Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/groups/459275544220970/