A VETERAN community campaigner fears a local residents' association will fold after more than 20 years.

Ivy Siegfried was forced to stand down as secretary of Cowdenknowes Residents' Association due to ill health but is now worried over the future of the group.

The 81-year-old says the association is struggling to continue without a new secretary.

She said: "There is a possibility that the association could fold.

"We don't have a secretary at the moment.

"We only had someone to cover the post on a temporary basis after I resigned but now we have no-one.

"That is one problem, and another is the fact that after 21 years, it's nearly all elderly people who come to the meetings who are in their 70s and 80s."

She says the venue where meetings are held also poses a problem.

Mrs Siegfried, of Dunlop Street, said: "Many people struggle to climb up the stairs to the Police Club but we've always held our meetings there.

"If we used Notre Dame School we would be charged for it.

"We don't get funding like community councils."

Mrs Siegfried says the organisation urgently needs new blood to take it forward.

She added: "It's all young people who are moving in here, the meetings have to have something that is of interest to them."

She said she would be very disappointed if the group was to end after all the hard work of members of the years.

Mrs Siegfried said: "I've put 21 years into that association.

"I am very worried about it."

The next meeting will be held at the Police Club in Thom Street on November 19 at 7.30pm.

If anyone is interested in joining the group they are urged to go along.