Evesham friends who ‘met up for a pint every month for 64 years’

Every month is an opportunity for Kim Bright, David Day, Brian Wells, John Collins and Michael Stephens to meet up for a pint at The Old Swanne Inn, in Evesham.

It is an event in the calendar they have all looked forward to for the past 64 years with some travelling from as far as South Africa to make the monthly “lads’ night”.

The “lads” first met at Prince Henry’s School in Evesham in 1953 and when they left in 1960 they got together for a farewell pint, but did not want to say goodbye.

Instead they arranged to have a regular pub gathering on the first Tuesday of every month.

The group, all now aged in their 80s, said they felt like a “band of brothers”.

“We talk about all sorts of stuff, reminiscence. I never thought for one minute, we’d still be here doing it all these years later,” Mr Stephens said.

“I feel that perhaps we would be letting the others down if we didn’t turn up.”

Mr Day described himself as a newcomer to the group, only joining the monthly drinks 22 years ago after living in London before retiring in Evesham.

He said as soon as he joined, familiar faces and nostalgia took him back to his boyhood days.

“When I returned after a long gap of 40 years, it was just like we’ve been drinking the night before,” he said.

“It didn’t take very long to pick up again on what everybody had been up to and feel comfortable chatting to people about it.”

Mr Wells travels from Cheltenham with fellow school mate Mr Collins every month and said: “It’s just nice to see the familiar faces and chew the bit.

“I’m not a very chatty person as a rule, I just enjoy listening to this lot rabbiting on.”

The group said despite technology offering various ways to communicate and stay connected, nothing beat the moments and memories created when they met up in person.

Mr Wells encouraged young people to meet up more.

“More often than not, they’re just talking individually on their phones to their phone group chat, rather than face to face.”