A SPIRITED Bury woman is hoping to encourage others to hit the dancefloor, ‘Strictly-style’, in a bid to raise funds for Bury Hospice.

Deborah Lisle, 58 from Tottington, lost her husband John after his courageous battle against cancer.

Mr Lisle died in 2015, at the age of just 64, leaving a huge hole in the lives of his wife and the Lisle family.

Mrs Lisle, who has volunteered at Bury Hospice since November 2016, has re-discovered her love of dance after joining A Touch of Class Dance Studio in Little Lever, Bolton, and is now aiming to encourage others to hit the dance floor to support the Rochdale Old Road charity.

In conjunction with A Touch of Class and Active Dance Studio in Bury, Mrs Lisle and fellow Bury Hospice volunteers are now planning a dance event based around Strictly Come Dancing, culminating in a spectacular Strictly-themed night in December.

Mrs Lisle said: “The idea of a dance event to raise funds and awareness of Bury Hospice began to develop in early 2017 and I am delighted to say that everything is now in place for an amazing experience for anyone interested.”

If you have ever fancied learning to dance then now is the perfect time, with free lessons in a warm and friendly studio.

She added: “Our aim is to raise as much money as possible for Bury Hospice.

“If your family or friends have been cared for by the hospice then this is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in a fun event for a superb cause.

“We are looking for 12 ladies and 12 gentlemen with little or no experience in ballroom and Latin dancing.

“You will learn how to foxtrot and quickstep and choose one dance from either salsa, cha cha cha, rock and roll or Argentine tango as your speciality dance.”

Participants will be offered 12 free dance lessons on Monday evenings, beginning in September and can be individuals or couples.

“We will help to find you the best partner if you fancy taking part but are worried that you do not have a dance partner,” said Mrs Lisle.

In return for the free lessons, all participants will be asked to aim to raise a target of £400 in sponsorship leading up to the event.

Mrs Lisle and the hospice’s fundraising team will offer support and ideas on how to raise money and if any local businesses want to get involved as sponsors, they are welcome to help to make this a successful event.

The dance extravaganza finale will be held at The Longfield Suite in Prestwich on Saturday December 9 2017.

“This is a superb venue for our event and of course, some of the real Strictly stars have performed on the very same dance floor," added Deborah.

“We are delighted to have celebrity judges, which I cannot yet reveal, alongside experienced dance teachers who will watch and score performances and present the glitter ball trophies.

"There will be a supper, raffle and lots of fundraising done in aid of Bury Hospice. Get involved you never know you may find a new hobby which becomes a passion.”

If you are interested, the application forms can be found at: www.buryhospiceorg.uk or call 0161 7259800/ 07795552692.