A POPULAR dance session for the over 50s is to change venues and carry on throughout 2015, after the overwhelming success of its initial six month trial period.

The Okehampton Tea Dance group has been taking place once a month on a Sunday afternoon at Fairplace Church Hall.

The session was set up to offset the closure of the day centres in the areaand gives people a chance to socialise during the winter months while capitalising on the popularity of Strictly Come Dancing.

The sessions have been run by professional dance teachers John and Sonia Davies.

Providing music from the 20s, 30s and 40s, they teach basic steps for around 20 minutes, followed by tea and biscuits and then social dance time.

The six month trial period, which was funded with a grant from Okehampton United Charity, ended on February 22.

Jenny Beavon, who has helped organise the events on behalf of Time for Life, said the trial period had been a big success and the sessions now average 23 committed members each month.

She said: 'We thought of giving it a break and starting again in the autumn.

'But the first two couples we told were so disappointed.

'One of the couples was here because they were new to the dance and they were going to look for lessons and wanted to have this opportunity to practise. 

'The second couple had been lifelong dancers but the husband now had memory loss.

'When he first came he couldn't remember the steps but over the months the memory for the dances was coming back.

'They were both so pleased, especially his wife.

'She didn't want him to lose again what he had found. So how could we give it up?

'The teachers were happy to continue giving their services and so all five of us behind the dances committed to running it from March 2015 to March 2016 with a summer break for the months of July and August.'

The sessions will move from Fairplace Church Hall to Okehampton Conservative Club.

With the funding from Okehampton United Charity having now finished, the session price will go up to £4 per person to help cover hall hire and running costs.

The next dance will take place on Sunday, March 22 from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

If you are interested in attending, bringing a group or volunteering, call Jenny Beavon on 01822 810564 or e-mail [email protected]">[email protected]

l Pictured above are some of the regular dancers at the Okehampton Tea Dance sessions.

Picture by James Bird