THE Bury branch of the Red Cross, whose dedicated band of nurses and volunteers served the town for a glorious 63 years, has folded.

And a final farewell dinner for the remaining members proved a poignant occasion for Summerseat woman Miss Hilda Mosley, who was a founder member when the branch was established in 1940.

She was there when the branch was set up during World War Two and played a major role in its activities. Now, 63 years on, Miss Mosley has presided over the branch's shutdown.

Dwindling membership, combined with a lack of new volunteers, has forced the branch to call it a day. During the past few years, Bury Red Cross has primarily been involved in fund-raising through flag days and other activities.

Committee president Miss Mosley (89), of Bass Lane, was the only original member serving on the committee. She treated 17 colleagues to a farewell dinner at the Red Hall Restaurant in Bury.

"It's been very difficult to find new, younger members," she said. "Not everyone wants to join as young people nowadays want a paid job rather than acting as volunteers. Obviously, I'm sorry that the branch has folded, but it's happening everywhere and not just to the Red Cross."

Miss Mosley can clearly remember the time when the Red Cross nurses and volunteers were familiar and respected figures in Bury. She recalled: "After we formed in 1940, we did a lot of work. We did prisoner of war parcels, nursed the wounded and had our own sewing section. Bury also had a detachment of nursing and its own depot.

"We also regularly collected money for our 'penny a week' fund and during World War Two the branch was extremely active."

Miss Mosley's dedication to the organisation has been uncompromising, constantly supporting and sustaining it during the last 63 years. "I started off as assistant commandant in the nursing section, then commandant and later chairman of the committee. She has been president for a number of years.

In the 1970s, the branch's nurses and cadets sections folded. But another of its popular activities involved the provision of wheelchairs, both to town centre shoppers and those who needed the mobility aids at home.

The Red Cross branch had its wheelchair base at Church House in Bury and the service, which came to an end five years ago, was run by welfare officer Mrs Frances Fraser, who kept a number of wheelchairs in her own garage.

Miss Mosley is philosophical about the tough decision to disband the branch. "I quite appreciate the difficulties we've had in getting new members to join. It just reached the stage where we decided not to go on.

"To those who ask why I've been involved with the Red Cross for the past 63 years, my answer to them is, why not? I think it's always been a very good organisation."

Miss Mosley previously combined her branch duties with the chairmanship of the former Robinson Kay Home committee. Despite the fact she is to soon celebrate her 90th birthday, she is still heavily involved in a Bury Luncheon Club, which she founded some years ago.