A GROUP supporting people with chronic pain has celebrated its 10th birthday.

Keeping Pace With Pain was set up at St Andrews Church hall in The Avenue, Southampton in March 2005 by Dr Norma Waite and nurse Joan Anderson.

Now it has almost 100 members who attend monthly meetings to make new friends, hear from a variety of speakers and get advice on pain management, alternative medicines and health legislation.

More than 30 people attended the birthday celebrations which featured a game of pass the parcel where guests were asked to share memories of the free group while removing each layer of paper.

Christine Beal has attended the group with her husband Stephen, both 57 from Bitterne, since it was set up.

She said: “The party was brilliant. What’s so good about the group is that we have made so many friends and it’s so supportive.”