How 'lonely' widower who lost wife of 60 years found friends at his local pub
Raveena Ghattaura went to meet John and some of his new found friends
A pensioner who lost his soulmate of 60 years at Christmas says finding friends at his local pub has given him a new lease of life.
John Lain lost his wife Christine on 23 December two years ago and since then has lived alone - an adjustment he admits he has found difficult.
"I still get very lonely. I couldn't believe she'd gone", Mr Lain told ITV News Anglia.
"For the first 14 months after she died, if anyone asked about her, I couldn't do anything but break down."
But within the last few weeks, he has started to meet new friends at his local pub, The Wheel of Fortune in Yelverton in Norfolk, after it started morning meet-ups to get local people together.
"I love going there and meeting people. It's another day that I'm not alone," he said.
"My wife would have loved that I go. She was always the more social one than me, so I feel like a part of her has rubbed off on me.
The Wheel of Fortune has been running the meetings for just over a month since joining the nation-wide Chatty Cafe Scheme.
The scheme encourages people to have a chat over hot drinks to combat social isolation and is operating at more than 900 sites across the country.
Though a friendly and informal set-up, the issue it seeks to tackle is a serious one - as social isolation has been found to increase people's risks of stroke, anxiety, dementia, depression, suicide and more.
At the first meeting at The Wheel of Fortune there were five people who attended. Since then, it has grown - with more than 20 people at the latest meeting.
The pub's landlord, Naomi Shulver, joined the scheme after seeing it advertised online and said it had had a big impact on the local community.
"Some of the people here have lived in the village for decades yet have never spoken to each other until now. So it's really brought people together.
"With the cost of living crisis, it provides a warm place for people to be and not worry about spending money, as all our refreshments are free.
"What people love the most is that we don't have technology at our tables, we just chat. Everyone just finds something to talk about."
Find out more about the Chatty Cafe Scheme on its website
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know