A dating agency has been launched for people with learning disabilities in Lancaster.

The community-run group, U-night Group, hopes their social enterprise will encourage people with special needs to form close friendships and relationships.

‘Meet ‘N’ match’, the new dating agency, has received funding to further expand into the Lancaster and Morecambe area.

The group holds social events and date matching services for exclusive members, said Rachel Lambert, events and project coordinator.

“I’m really excited to be working with the U-Night Group to develop the friendship and dating agency, Meet ‘N’ Match”, she said.

She added: “There is a demand locally for people with learning disabilities to find friendships and possibly love. People have already stared to sign up and I’m hoping more people in the Lancaster and Morecambe area will want to get involved.”

The group plans to trial activities such as speed dating and comedy and quiz nights, resulting in friendships for those who previously had no access to social events.

“Generally, people with a learning disability have limited opportunities to meet their peers and to form lasting connections,” said U-night Group founder and chairman Sue Sharples.

She added: “Our current members have told us that this leads to them feeling lonely, isolated and depressed. We hope that this will be one way of improving people’s physical and mental wellbeing, whilst opening up possibilities for the kind of relationships that others take for granted.

“Meet ‘N’ Match is a great opportunity for some of the most vulnerable people to get together, with a view to finding anything from someone with a shared interest to true love.”