AN ENGLISH teacher has strapped on her dancing shoes and helped to raise almost £1,000 for a cancer charity.
Ali Tinham, who teaches at Avon Valley School took part in an Ultra Ballroom competition at Aston Villa FC’s Villa Park in Birmingham with her friend and fellow English teacher Emma Tappenden, who teaches in Northamptonshire.
In preparation, both teachers took up Ultra Ballroom’s offer to learn to dance in eight weeks with free professional training so they could raise money for Cancer Research UK.
Ali and Emma joined other fundraisers to dance in front of their audience during a glamourous black tie event which raised £16,000.
The teachers came third out of 22 in the competition, and were the first couple to score a perfect score of 10, 10, 10.
Ali said: “So many people are affected by cancer. I’ve seen friends, family and even some of our students affected by this horrible disease.
“Cancer affects 1 in 2 people, and there are over 200 different types of cancer. Cancer Research UK do a wonderful job but need funds to continue their brilliant work.”
The school’s head teacher Alison Davies said: “It is always very pleasing to see individual students, and staff, taking part in their own events to raise funds for a charity close to their hearts.
“Doing our best, being kind and looking after others are a big part of our school’s core values and it is always lovely to see members of the school community embracing this ethos.”
