"When you’re playing scrabble, you don’t think about what age people are.”

At 89, Marie Gard looks forward to her weekly evening of Scrabble at the club she joined around 30 years ago. A former ward clerk at St Luke’s Hospital, she became interested in the game after a patient told her about a new club starting in Bradford.

That club evolved over time and is now Shipley Scrabble Club, which meets weekly in the town. “Playing is a pleasure, because I love words,” says Marie.

“I’m no good at numbers and I’m no good with computers. This is a really enjoyable game that anyone can play – we have people of all levels.”

Marie, of Baildon, is passionate about words and loves the challenge of creating interesting ones. “If I could choose between playing a high scoring letter X to make a short word or use other letters to make an interesting word with a lower score, I would play the interesting word,” she says.

She loves the social side of the club. “I have made many friends and been on holiday with several of them,” she adds.

Joyce Beck has been a member of the club for around 15 years. Approaching her 84th birthday, she believes the game keeps your mind active. “It definitely keeps you thinking,” she says, “You never stop learning new words, for example, this week someone played the word ‘EVZONE’ which I had not heard of but I now know that it means a soldier of some kind. The word was used to describe members of the Greek elite light infantry, and now refers to the Greek Presidential Guard.

Former teacher Joyce, of Allerton, has played Scrabble for many years. “I played when my children were young and took it up again after the death of my husband,” she says. “A friend and I started playing games at home when we visited each other. She took to bridge and I took to Scrabble.”

She adds: “It is amazing how quickly people start to do well after joining the club.”

Some members play to a high level, while some play for fun. Club secretary Cyndy Walker-Firth sees benefits for people of all ages: “Scrabble keeps people’s brains active, and the social aspect is good too. Our club is very friendly and brings people together.”

Members range in age from teenagers to octogenarians. “We run tournaments and travel to tournaments at other places,” adds Cyndy. Monthly results are displayed on the club’s website. The club welcomes new members, and Cyndy urges people who would like to have a go to get in touch.

Shipley Scrabble Club meets in the Peaseland Lounge of the Anchorage Residential Home, Westcliffe Road, Shipley, every Thursday at 7.15pm, finishing at around 9.30pm. For more details visit www.shipleyscrabble.org.uk or ring Cyndy on (01274) 492210 or e-mail secretary@shipleyscrabble.org.uk.