KIND senior citizens who saw eagerly-awaited days out ruined by coronavirus have decided to give away cash they had collected for them.

Gourock Pensioners had been busy planning their annual trips when the outbreak took hold and put paid it them.

They decided to do something to help the community in its hour of need - and have donated £1,000 from their funds to the Salvation Army.

The group had planned to go to the Beacon Arts Theatre and for a lunch in Kilmacolm.

They had also lined up a trip to the renowned House for an Art Lover in Glasgow next month.

Instead it was suggested by longest serving committee member Ursula McLean, pictured, that because of the Covid-19 pandemic monies that were to be used for the trips should be given to the Salvation Army.

The branch in Port Glasgow has been running a project with Inverclyde Community Action Response Group to provide 800 meals to people in need every day.

Jim Hunter, of Riverside Gardens in Gourock, who organises Gourock Pensioners, said: "I called every single pensioner in the group and they all agreed to donate the funds.

"Ursula had seen an article in the Telegraph about the Salvation Army looking for funds.

"The appeal from the Salavation Army to provide 800 meals was very touching and we have people in Riverside who are receiving meals from another service.

"We had £1,300 all together which would have been spent enjoying ourselves, and Ursula suggested we donated £1,000."

Jim says people from the group are missing one another during lockdown.

He told the Tele: "They are a great bunch of people.

"We have two trips, spring and autumn, and River Clyde Homes let us use the lounge at Riverside Gardens for free for our meetings.

"We really don't know when we will all meet again - it could be for Christmas.

"We will just need to wait and see."