Dancing Dennis beats health scare to raise thousands for Torbay hospital unit

‘Dancing Dennis’ and wife Olympeas have done it again.

Dennis (Samuel is his surname) put a health scare behind him as South Devon’s King and Queen of the ballroom saw out 2025 by raising thousands of pounds for charity.

A year ago it was a cheque to their chosen charity, Torbay Mencap, for £4,165.

This year it was the turn of the Ricky Grant Unit at Torbay Hospital and a cheque for £2,820 after they and their dance class members and guests danced the night away at their annual charity dinner/dance at the Livermead Cliff Hotel in Torquay.

Ruth Allison and Shelly Weston were there from the unit to be presented with the cheque.

Mind you, Dennis only just made it. He revealed to dancers later: ”I spent all of Monday night in Torbay Accident and Emergency waiting for blood test results for a chest pain. Not heart but lungs. Investigations are on-going.

“But there was no way that we were going to let you down on Tuesday evening for this very special occasion. The  cheque was the proceeds from the many raffles during the past year. Many thanks go to you, our dancers, for making this possible.”

He revealed ballroom dancing continues in the South West and said: “We are fortunate to have good support for our dances, both in Torbay, bi-weekly on a Tuesday (At The Livermead Cliff Hotel) and on the second Saturday of the month in Plympton (St Mary's Parish Centre) as well as on the third Friday of the month (Rattery Village Hall.)

“We are also about to start a Sunday Afternoon Tea Dance in Exeter. (third Sunday of the month at the Marsh Barton Social Club).  In addition we have a dance weekend at The Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish Warren in October.

“We are always looking for extra dancers, particularly gentlemen as there are a lot of ladies who would like to dance but do not have a partner.  We do our best with a weekly dance class in Coombeinteignhead Village Hall on a Thursday evening but men seem to be a bit shy.”

Dennis and Olympeas were looking forward to their annual New Year’s Eve dance before embarking on another fund-raising year, this time for the Ashburton-based Dartmoor Rescue Group.

They can be contacted at 21 Ash Hill Road, Torquay, TQ14 3JB. Tel:  01803 299791 / 07885 884052 or dancingwithdennis@btinternet.com