Ranch dancers line up guide dogs cash boost

Brookmount Dance Ranch members recently presented £2,600 to Lisburn’s Guide Dogs NI branch, taking their 12-year charity fundraising total to more than £23,000.
Guide Dogs NI puppy-in-training April Brookmount Dance Ranch class teacher Sharon Hendron, dancer Lorraine Gray and Guide Dogs NI rep. Liz Apsley.Guide Dogs NI puppy-in-training April Brookmount Dance Ranch class teacher Sharon Hendron, dancer Lorraine Gray and Guide Dogs NI rep. Liz Apsley.
Guide Dogs NI puppy-in-training April Brookmount Dance Ranch class teacher Sharon Hendron, dancer Lorraine Gray and Guide Dogs NI rep. Liz Apsley.

Joyce Higginson, Liz Apsley and puppy-in-training ‘April’ were presented with a cheque for £2,600 to be used to feed, home and train suitable puppies to become guide dogs for blind and visually impaired people in the Lisburn area.

The Brookmount group, based at Lowquarter Orange Hall in Ballinderry, raised the money by organising line-dance social nights throughout the year as well as demonstrations at local school and church events.

A sponsored cycle also helped boost the total.

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Class teacher Sharon Hendron said: “I would like to say a sincere thank-you to all the class members for their continued support.

“Their kind donations for raffle prizes on our social nights helps to boost our fundraising fantastically and, not only that, they also get together to provide a beautiful buffet supper for every occasion.

“A very special thank-you, on behalf of the club, goes to Ross McNeill, Paul Rodgers and Charlie Hendron for going that extra 100 miles to complete a sponsored cycle around Lough Neagh.

“Charlie is a volunteer tandem pilot for RNIB through Lisburn In Focus.

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“Paul, friend and supporter of the club, suffers from MS and diabetes and, through his diabetes, is partially sighted.

“The boys trained and completed this 100-mile cycle on a tandem, adding hugely to the overall total raised.”

In 12 years of dancing for fun, members of the Brookmount Dance Ranch have raised more than £23,000 for various local charities. Said Sharon: “I’m extremely proud of all my dancers and grateful to all who have supported us in our fundraising efforts over the years.”

Brookmount Dance Ranch meets on Mondays from 7pm-9.30pm at Lowquarter Orange Hall, Ballinderry Road, Magheragall.

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