End of an era as decades-old social club closes

"A social club for adults with learning disabilities in north-west London is closing after 57 years. Neasden Gateway Club is one of the longest running social clubs in London having been founded Pete and Shirley Bickers in 1968. The bi-weekly club is ended as the Bickers have decided to retire, and no one else is available to continue to run it."

""I think that's probably our greatest achievement, that people chose," said Shirley. "They're not brought here, but people chose to come and I think that's important." She added that over the years, they had provided the service to more than 150, "maybe even 200" people. At the club's closing party, Shirley said: "I'm most proud that so many people wanted to come tonight and that so many people chose to come to the club.""

Neasden Gateway Club, a bi-weekly social club for adults with learning disabilities in north-west London, is closing after 57 years. The club was founded by Pete and Shirley Bickers in 1968 and is ending because the founders are retiring and no successor is available to run it. The club provided a dedicated space to socialise for people who were often not accepted in mainstream social clubs. More than 150, maybe 200, people used the service over the decades. Long-term helpers and members have attended since the 1970s. The closing party drew many chosen attendees and the founders reviewed folders of photographs documenting membership over the years.

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