Retired Old Men Eating Out (ROMEO) group hopes to help Elgin locals feel less lonely
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A NEW club starting in Elgin hopes to fight loneliness by bringing retired men together for a lunch and a blether.
Retired Old Men Eating Out (ROMEO) groups have been successfully running for decades throughout America and Europe. The groups have no religious or political affiliation and were simply created to provide older men with the chance to get out, make friends and enjoy the company of other men.
James Gee, (74), moved to Elgin in October 2020 with his wife and hopes creating a ROMEO group in Elgin will benefit people in the local community.
He said: "I feel a lot of men are suffering from mental health issues and loneliness and I think the group will help."
While visiting friends in Round Rock, Texas in 2019, Mr Gee was invited to attend lunch with the ROMEO group that his friend Ray Lopez had started. He really enjoyed the social aspect of the group and was inspired to start his own chapter in Moray.
He plans to hold a group meeting on the second Thursday of every month with the first meeting taking place at the Moray College Beechtree restaurant on on March 10 at 10.30am.
Mr Gee hopes that if the group is successful it could branch out to help retired men in towns across Moray.
He added:"The ROMEOs could possibly extend to other places like Lossie, Forres, and Keith with each town having their own group."
