A SOCIAL club which closed its doors bequeathed a final gift to the community - by donating £60,000 to good causes.

The Dockers, one of the last remaining social clubs in the town, called last orders on Hogmanay after serving the public for 36 years.

Lack of money and members were reasons cited for the club's demise.

The club was sold for around £200,000 and members decided that the remaining funds, after staff redundancies and bills were paid, should be shared between Ardgowan Hospice, CHAS (Children's Hospices Across Scotland) and Macmillan Cancer Support, charities which the club had supported over the years.

Treasurer Neil Paton said: "It's the Dockers legacy.

"We're definitely going out on a high.

"We have supported these charities for 36 years and I think it is fitting that they should benefit from the remaining funds.

"Hopefully these donations will enable them to carry on their good work.

"The members and staff of the club can certainly feel proud and deserve to be congratulated for thinking of their wider community at the time they were losing their club and their jobs.

"It will be an investment for members who will need these organisations in the future."

The National Dock Labour Board bought the premises on the behalf of the Dockers Sports Recreation Association in 1981.

It was later sold to the association and was owned by members before businessmen Billy Bateman and Thomas McKendry, owners of The Exchange restaurant and Cruden Hall next door, purchased the premises last year.

Hospice bosses say the closure of the Dockers feels like the 'end of an era' but added its members had shown great kindness and community spirit.

Allison Brown, Ardgowan community specialist nurse, said: "I'd like to offer a heartfelt thank you to all of the members of the Dockers Club for their kind donation.

"I hope the members can take comfort in the fact that these funds will allow us to continue supporting people that a living with a life-limiting illness.

"This large donation could help fund 400 visits to support a patient and a family at home, from one of its community nurse specialists."

Samantha Reilly, community fundraiser with CHAS, said the donation was an 'outstanding' act of kindness.

She added: "It will make a huge difference.

"At the moment we are only dealing with one in three families, this £20,000 will help us reach out and help more people who need us."

Cara Inglis, Macmillan fundraising manager for the west of Scotland, said: "It is an unbelievable amount of money and will allow us to help up to 100 local families.

"We made 30,000 grant payments in Inverclyde last year.

"These are one-off payments that can help people with the cost of living with cancer such as kitchen appliances or short family breaks."