Palace party invite for dance organiser (From Swindon Advertiser)

Palace party invite for dance organiser

6:00pm Thursday 14th February 2013 in News By Scott D'Arcy

DANCE group co-ordinator Georgina Joyce will be in a spin when she attends the Queen’s Garden Party later this year.

The 66-year-old will attend Buckingham Palace in June this year after being nominated by her friend Dot Fisher, a regular at the Cricklade dance meetings Georgina arranges every month.

Georgina has run the ballroom dance events at Cricklade Town Hall for 31 years, even after she had to stop dancing five years ago because of a debilitating condition, and gives all proceeds to charity.

Dot, 73, said: “She’s been doing it for so long and she really deserves it. I had been trying to get her an MBE for two years and then they got back to me and said she could go to the garden party. “We revealed it at a dance meeting and she was thrilled.”

Georgina, of Minety, said:“I’m delighted. I did not expect it at all and it’s a really nice thing for her to do for me. “I don’t like making a fuss and just stay in the background.

“I’ve been running the dance events for 31 years now and people still come along and support them which is great. “I wish I had known it would be going for this long as I would have kept a diary but you just don’t know.

“It was a shame when I had to give up dancing five years ago because of my disability – I have to use a walker and sometimes a wheelchair – but I still enjoy seeing others dancing and enjoying themselves.

“It’s nice because you have the regulars and then there are people who come and go. Some come back after 15 or 20 years and they know the door is open for them and they will be welcome.”

Georgina said she was planning to take her daughter Bridget to the garden party She said:“I’m really looking forward to it but it still hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

The next dance event will be at Cricklade Town Hall on March 1.