New friends at line dancing sessions

‘I’ve made lovely new friends here and it’s added an extra sparkle to my life,’ says Debbie as she takes a little break from the fun-loving line dancing group run by Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin.

‘I’m 60 years of age, I’m an army wife and my husband is still in the army. I was already a member of the Acorn Singers choir (another group run by Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin) and then I heard about the line dancing.’

‘To be honest with you, if it had been all about cowboys and country and western music, I wouldn’t have liked it. But it’s not like that. We do all sorts of different dances to different types of music and it’s great fun.’

Debbie, originally from Monmouthshire but now living in Oakengates, says she’s been able to encourage the crossover between the choir and the line dancing group by persuading some of the dancers to also join the Acorn Singers. ‘They’re both lovely things to be a part of,’ she says.

Sue, 69, from Brookside, and Ann, 73, from Stirchley, are beaming as they talk about the group.

‘I absolutely love coming here,’ says Sue. ‘Not only are the sessions so much fun, but you learn about other things that are going on while you’re here. For instance, we’ve just been to Weston-super-Mare for the weekend for a fantastic country and western event, and we would never even have known it was happening if we hadn’t been part of this group.’

Ann adds: ‘Everyone here is so friendly. It’s something to look forward to. We have a good laugh.’

Meanwhile, 80-year-old Ken from Muxton, offers his own insights into what makes this group so good: ‘One thing about line dancing is you can do it on your own. You don’t need to have a wife or a husband or a partner with you because, although you’re on the dance floor as a group, you basically do your own thing. This also means, that if you want to, you can practice the moves at home on your own.’

As the music in the hall draws Ken back to the dance floor, it’s clear to see that everyone is having a great time. These sessions are all about keeping yourself active, healthy and feeling good, but it’s not just about the dancing itself; it’s about the friendship too.

Claire Fishlock, Service Development Officer at Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, says: ‘These sessions really are a great deal of fun. Even if you’ve never tried any kind of dancing before, you’ll enjoy yourself. It might seem difficult at first but they’re a really friendly, supportive bunch, and they’ll help you get the hang of it. People very often say they’ve made new friends here.’

The line dancing sessions take place at Hadley Community Centre, every Tuesday morning and Thursday afternoon, and cost £4.00 per session.

For further information about our line dancing groups, call Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin on 01743 233 123 or email enquiries@ageukstw.org.uk