A PENSIONER who suffered with severe depression and needed psychiatric help after the death of her beloved partner says a local day centre saved her life.

Roseann Collins has told how staff at Crown Care in Greenock helped her bounce back from feelings of despair.

After losing her partner Joe, she was overcome with grief and loneliness.

The 71-year-old told the Telegraph that going to the daycare centre helped put purpose back into her life.

Roseann said: "I was at such a low point because of a lot of things that were happening in my life.

"I had to see a psychiatrist just to get myself moving.

"The staff and the centre have helped me get through it all.

"I would sit in my house lonely and depressed.

"Joe did a lot for me during the twenty-odd years we were together.

"I gave up when I lost him - I didn't think there was anything left in life for me.

"I was used to being out working and with people all my life, so being on my own made things really bad for me.

"Crown Care has saved me.

"Coming here has been brilliant.

"They're my world, my saviour - I just don't know where I'd be without them."

Roseann says the day centre's busy programme has given her a new lease of life through its

She regularly participates in the activities and has recently taken the first steps towards learning Italian through a course delivered there.

She added: "I've come on leaps and bounds since I first arrived here.

"I've had quite a lot of unhappiness in my life, but I'm happy now.

"They've given me my whole life back, I've got purpose again.

"The staff don't let you sit and dwell on anything, you're always doing things and keeping active.

"It's been a big journey for me but I've got here thanks to the staff.

"When I came here at first I wasn't very good at taking part, but now I'm in the flow of it all.

"I'm doing things now that I never thought I could do in my life, like learning new languages."

Crown Care's activities co-ordinator Jaswinder Kaur says she has seen a big difference in Roseann since she first came to the facility four years ago.

She said: "Roseann was very withdrawn when she first started with us, he did socialise but it was at her own pace.

"I've noticed a huge change in her over the past year, she's really come out of her shell.

"She always participates in every activity we come up with, she's the first one up now.

"Roseann's own determination is what's got her here, we've just gently guided her along the way.

"She's an incredibly strong person.

"When people ask us why we do our job, I tell them it's for moments like this - helping make people like Roseann smile again."