A CHARITY which supports former miners and their families has doubled the number of social groups it runs over the last three years.

The Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (Ciswo), which has a group in the Amman Valley, now has almost 30 groups across the former coalfield.

It offers a variety of services such as home visits, bereavement support, help with benefits applications and industrial illness compensation claims.

One of Ciswo’s groups meets every other Wednesday in Brynaman and Ashley Jones, 85, attends every meeting from Gwaun cae Gurwen.

“I started working in East Pit in 1946. I’ve worked in various collieries all around here, opencast and small mines. I’ve been in mining all my life,” he said.

“We have talks, we have quizzes, have a cup of tea, biscuits.

“We’re only here for a couple of hours, but it goes just like that.

“It’s very important to me because I buried my wife nine years ago, so I’ve lived on my own, so it’s nice for the company,” he said.

The demand for Ciswo’s support groups may have peaked but the ageing population of ex-miners means the charity’s considering what it will be for in future.

Wayne Thomas, one of Ciswo’s national trustees, added: “We’re hoping to set up surgeries, a bit like the ones local councillors have.

“So if we’ve missed people from our social inclusion groups, or there are people that don’t want to come to our groups, those surgeries will mean we’ll be able to reach them.

“That’s the next goal.”