A 50-year-old organisation which has given countless Truro women friendship and an outlet for talents and hobbies ceased to exist this week.

Truro 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 workforce has meant the movement has become less and less relevant.

The nationwide organisation has thrived in Truro as it has throughout Cornwall over the years. It still does in other parts of the country.

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

Yesterday members of the four folding Cornish guilds - Truro, Falmouth, St Austell and Bodmin, along with ladies from the only remaining branch, Redruth - met at the Carlton Hotel, Truro, to enjoy one last get-together in celebration of the Cornwall Federation's 50th anniversary.

In the true tradition of the movement the women gathered to socialise, reminisce and listen to a guest speaker, who on this occasion was BBC Radio Cornwall presenter Chris Blount.

"Nobody really wanted to see the closure but there's no way of carrying on," said Truro Townswomen's Guild chairman Gloria Harvey, who lives in Lemon St, Truro.

"I think it's probably a bit of an anomaly in this day and age. We couldn't get any young recruits, but when it was opened women were at home looking after children and it was something for them to do. Recently it changed to an afternoon group - the people were mostly elderly and they really didn't want to take the responsibility of offices."

The Truro guild used to meet at St John's Church Hall, where women would gather and listen to a range of speakers and socialise. They also had a craft group and a "craft and leisure day" which would be held every two years. Some of the musical members took part in the Cornwall Federation's choir.

Trips would be held and many charities were supported by the fundraising efforts of the members. Many of the women also represented their guilds at national conferences, including an annual general meeting traditionally held at the Royal Albert Hall.

One of the major functions of the organisation was as a forum for women to meet and discuss issues and be a way for women moving into a new area to make friends.

This has all now ended for the Truro guild, following its final meeting on January 8.

At one time Cornwall had seven branches, but the Newquay group folded four years ago and the Penzance group some years before that.

There is some comfort for the Truro association's 28 members, however, in that its craft group will continue and a regular social meeting will also still be held.

"We did have a craft group which meets at my house once a month which will continue, and we're hoping to meet once a month for morning coffee so we don't lose contact completely," said Mrs Harvey. "We've made so many friends over the years. It's very sad really. It was a very friendly organisation