As a new widow I felt lost and useless. My husband had vascular dementia and I nursed him willingly for three years, which became more of a battle towards the end. I felt so alone without him and missed the man he used to be and the full life we once had, but I knew I couldn't spend the rest of my life feeling like there was nothing left for me.

I belong to a tight, small circle of old friends, now all widows, and we have given ourselves a new lease of life by sharing the cost of a taxi and having a lovely relaxed outing once a week. It's booked in advance for the same time each week, with the same driver who now knows us very well.

It helps if your friends are fairly easy-going and share the same outlook on life as you do, and in this respect we are blessed. If we want the opportunity to shop we choose a nice place to eat within easy reach of a supermarket or the large Marks and Spencer, and when we just want to enjoy lunch and a chat in pleasant surroundings, there cannot be many places better than the Panorama Lounge in the Floral Hall at New Brighton. Looking out over the river and listening to the voluntary musicians playing our kind of music certainly gives us a lift. There is a box for donations for local charities, but giving is entirely optional.

At about 3pm we sink into the taxi, tired but not exhausted, and enjoy our journey home having a chat and a laugh with our driver. That’s perhaps the most important requirement. You do need a kind and good-natured driver - and I think we are lucky to have one of the best!

Of course, after a happy outing, anyone who lives alone may feel a bit down. The front door closes and the silence is almost tangible. If you are tired, this may be relaxing but, to help me through, I make a cuppa, put up my feet and start thinking about where we might go next week. Even if my spirits have plunged, I try doing this to give myself something specific to look forward to.

Shortly after my husband died I also realised I had to change the atmosphere of the bedroom. It was the first time I had slept alone since early childhood, having always shared a room with my younger sister. I started recording light-hearted and humorous programmes on my bedroom TV and watched them before settling down. I made a point of avoiding emotional dramas and tense crime series, enjoying "Not Going Out" and "Would I Lie to You?", and even laughing out loud at Lee Mack's northern humour.

I know we are advised to keep our bedrooms technology-free, but surely it can't be so bad to have your bed shaking with laughter?

Florence, or Fiz for short (an abbreviation of the Italian name Firenze), has two daughters, six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and another on the way. While she admits that much of the 'fizz' left her after her husband died, she’s thankful for her caring and loving family.