A St Albans-based club for people with learning disabilities is celebrating its 50th anniversary and is looking for former volunteers to get in touch.

The Magpie Club, which is based at London Road Social Centre in Cell Barnes Lane, has been providing activities and outings for people with learning disabilities since 1967.

Iris Lynch, one of the founding members, is inviting other volunteers who worked at the club in its early days to get in contact and attend the anniversary celebration in May.

She said: “We were members of the Alma Road Youth Club in 1967 and we had the idea of forming a social club for adults with learning disabilities.

“We have gone from strength to strength in the last 50 years. We still have some of the original helpers.”

The club, which offers coach trips, outings and barbecues, is holding its anniversary party at the Cell Barnes Lane centre from 7pm to 11pm on Saturday, May 20.

Iris said: “We’d like to get hold of past helpers - we’d love them to come along. We are just volunteers and we were just kids from the youth club and we have managed to keep this club going all these years.

“Its’ not just me -there’s everybody. We’ve got one lady who’s been there all the time. It’s made up of a wonderful bunch of volunteers. It’s a pleasure to go down there on a Thursday, we’re all from different walks of life.”

Club nights are held on Thursdays from 7.30 to 9.30pm.