A 50-year-old organisation giving countless Falmouth women friendship and an outlet for their talents and hobbies officially folded this week.

The Falmouth Townswomen's Guild, along with three other guilds in Cornwall and the entire Cornwall Federation has closed following an increase in subscription fees and a downturn in the number of new members joining. The existing members have become too old to take on positions of responsibility and the changing role of women from stay-at-home mothers to members of the work force has meant the group has become less and less relevant.

Cornwall members have lent considerable support to hundreds of charities and nationally the group has been successful in lobbying governments of the day.

The nationwide organisation, which came out of the Suffragette movement, has thrived in Falmouth since its branch was opened in 1953, although it closed for a brief period during the eighties, starting anew in 1986.

Tuesday saw the Cornwall Federation's last collective function, as members of the four folding guilds - Falmouth, Truro, Bodmin and St Austell, along with the only remaining branch Redruth - met to celebrate its 50th anniversary at the Carlton Hotel, Truro. Chris Blount from Radio Cornwall was the guest speaker at the event.

"It was very sad," said chairman of the Falmouth branch, Rita Smith, who lives at Swanpool, "but it was a very friendly occasion."

"We've all got older and we're not attracting the young ones. Life's different now. It's sad for me because I've been a member for so long. It's meant so much to all of us. The main thing as far as I am concerned is the friendship - there's nothing to replace that."

Its 28 members are determined that the friendship will go on.

"We're trying to make sure we don't lose contact with each other," said Rita, "by forming a group that meets once a month."