LONELY and elderly residents in Teesdale have been thrown a lifeline in their bid to keep rural day clubs running.

A donation of £7,500 by the Lloyds TSB Foundation will enable all seven of the day clubs in Teesdale to continue to offer support to frail and isolated people in the dales.

The donation has come at a crucial time, when members of the charity, Teesdale Day Clubs, were struggling to find funds to keep the service running.

The clubs are held in six villages in Teesdale, with one in Barnard Castle, and provide an opportunity for more than 130 residents to meet regularly in their local village hall or community centre.

The clubs help to combat feelings of loneliness and isolation by providing a network of support, information, advocacy and education.

The services help elderly people to continue living independently by offering advice on how to seek help in cases of emergency.

At club sessions, members are cooked a hot meal and take part in activities, ranging from games and quizzes to discussions on local affairs, as well as demonstrations and talks on a variety of issues.

The charity provides advice on applying for benefits from the Government.

Teesdale Day Clubs aims to dev-elop a programme enabling elderly people to get access to reliable decorating services, simple maintenance work, gardening and shopping, at an affordable price.

Marion Hutchinson, chairman of Teesdale Day Clubs, said: "The donation will make sure that we can keep existing clubs open and continue to be a form of social support for the elderly community of Teesdale."

Louise Stiles, of Lloyds TSB Darlington, said: "Teesdale Day Clubs work closely to meet the needs of local older people. I am very happy that we can support the charity."

The money is part of a £1m donation that Lloyds TSB Foundation has agreed to give to charities in the North-East this year