A DANCE session for the over 50s is proving a big hit — and will run well in 2015 thanks to Okehampton United Charity and the Connected Communities programme.

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

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

Professional dance teachers John and Sonia Davies from Sidmouth have agreed to run the session free of charge.

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.

Month on month the sessions have grown in popularity, drawing participants from as far afield as Crediton and St Giles on the Heath.

At the third tea dance event on November 23, Okehampton United Charity presented a cheque for £774 to Time for Life, the organisers of the tea dance. Margaret Conkey from the Connected Communities programme also presented a cheque for £90 for the project.

Okehampton Memory Café ambassadors from Okehampton College were also at the tea dance. The memory cafés have been running since May 2013.

The monthly service runs on the second Tuesday of each month in the Growing our Future hut on the college site, with music, activities supported by students and refreshments.

The planned tea dances take place on December 21, January 25, February 22 and March 22, with further dates to be announced.

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