A WHARFEDALE woman has danced her way to raising more than £40,000 for charities and organisations over the last 20 years.

Community-spirited Maureen Thackwray has spent much of her adult life running old time dancing classes and social events. And four years ago she formed the Local Otley Charities American Linedancers group, which continued her charity work.

Mrs Thackwray, who lives in Otley, is now retired and spends much of her time single-handedly running two nightly line dancing classes and a monthly social evening, with all profits going to charity.

In her latest donation, she has helped to raise £400 to allow Otley Sailing Club to buy a couple of two-way radio systems, which will allow blind people to go sailing.

She decided to help their appeal after reading about it in the Wharfedale Observer last month. But modest Mrs Thackwray insists that her amazing fundraising efforts over the years are nothing special.

"Dancing has been a hobby and a passion of mine since I was in my twenties. I always attended a lot of dances but I suppose the whole charity fundraising effort started about 20 years ago," she said.

"I knew a girl who had been in a road accident and I organised an old time dancing social night to raise money for her. Things have just gone on from there.

"I don't consider myself anyone special because I have raised all this money. I love dancing and the fundraising is an added extra, but I must admit it is a pleasure if you see something good come out of it all.

Over the years, Mrs Thackwray, who worked at the former Dales Leather Works on Station Road, said she has raised money for every Otley School, the parish church appeal, village halls, Riding for the Disabled, Space to Grow and various cancer charities to name but a few.

Norman Stephens, from Otley Sailing Club, said that Mrs Thackwray was a 'marvellous' woman.

"She deserves all the recognition she can get. Mrs Thackwray does just about everything herself and is one of the most generous, kind-hearted and selfless people I have ever come across.

"She puts so many hours in and has worked tirelessly for other people for years and years."

Mr Stephens added: "I'm so grateful for her donation and for the coverage in the Wharfedale Observer. We didn't have any response from local business, just this one community-spirited woman."

More than 80 people attend the two line dancing evenings held weekly in Otley on Monday and Wednesday nights.

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