Community members aged 50-plus have been busy making new friends thanks to the Pembroke Dock Bi-Centenary celebrations.

The Craft group was formed last year by Age Concern Pembrokeshire's West Wales Befriending Links service and in partnership with the Encompass Group to support community members to be part of the Bi-Centenary celebrations in Pembroke Dock this year.

This month, the group has completed a very colourful handcrafted textile collage depicting places and memories of Pembroke Dock over the last 200 years.

This has been achieved through each member producing a square of fabric through their own sewing, crochet, knitting, canvas, felt and any other crafty ideas/techniques.

Group member Sylvia Smith, aged 72, said: "This has been a lovely group and we've all worked well together and I feel I've had extra support when I've needed it.

"The collage has turned out really well and been a great achievement. It's taken us a year. I feel very proud," she added.

The collage will be displayed in various venues around Pembroke Dock, with its first outing at the Dockyard Chapel tomorrow (Saturday) at the 'Lest we Forget' concert.

Local Befriending Links co-ordinator Helen Bussell said: "Age Concern Pembrokeshire regularly gets calls from older people who want to meet like-minded people in their community.

"West Wales Befriending Links service is creating lots of new activity groups across the county as well as work to highlight the need of existing groups, and will help to overcome the feeling of loneliness and isolation."

Bicentenary Group co-ordinator Martin Cavaney added: "We are delighted with the colourful banner that the group has produced and look forward to seeing it on display at events during the year".

The service, covering Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, aims to combat loneliness by getting people together in groups and it is hoped to set up some 40-plus befriending groups by 2017 with the help of the Big Lottery Fund.

Anyone wishing to take part in the Crafty group can contact Helen Bussell on 01437 769972.