The BBCWhen “lonely” Laura Cooper posted a social media post asking for friendship, she had no idea the response would change her life.
The 42-year-old care worker, who had moved into the home and was recovering from an illness, received the first response within an hour – and they kept coming.
By the end of that evening in late October, nearly 100 women had contacted her and the Scunthorpe Lovely Ladies Group, which now has 300 members, was born.
“The numbers kept going up and up,” he said. “I was just like ‘whoa, this is real – I can’t believe it.'”
Within days, members of the fledgling group – which has attracted women and girls aged 16 to 75 – met at a local pub.
They are now holding regular gatherings and throwing a glittering Christmas party which was attended by 70 people.
SupplyMiss Cooper has what is known as a functional neurological disorder (FND), which affects her nervous system and how her brain sends signals to her body.
She said she had been in the hospital for some time due to a stress-related condition.
“If something happens to me, and the negative in my life, it’s just ‘boom,’ I’m not well. My eyes are blinking and I can’t walk or talk for about three hours,” she said. added.
Having traveled around 30 miles from Waltham to Scunthorpe in north Lincolnshire, Miss Cooper – who works as an NHS care assistant and teaching assistant – was not seeing her friends very often. So, one Monday evening, he posted his friend request.
Within an hour, she was contacted by Sandra Ferguson.
“I saw Laura’s post and thought, this is what I’ve been looking for,” Ms Ferguson said.
Both women immediately hit it off.
“If it was just Laura and I, I think we’d be friends forever,” she said. “But Laura kept texting me, ‘Another joined, another joined’, and it went from there.”
Joan Gardner, a single businesswoman, also joined the group.
She said: “I lock the door at five or six at night and don’t see anyone until the next day.
“So, it inspired me to do my hair, do my makeup and enjoy life again.”
Another early member, Alison Law, said: “I live on my own and I need to get out of the house quite often. At the weekend and during the week, I’ll sit on the sofa and that’s it.”
Group members now meet regularly on Wednesday evenings with coffee mornings and days and meals.
“It warms me up, it just makes me feel like I’m doing something good,” Miss Cooper said.
“I step back sometimes and everyone’s talking and it’s beautiful. It makes me a little nervous, but in a good way.”
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