A veteran dancer is looking forward to taking a nostalgic trip to Blackpool to re-live the days when he whirled around the tower ballroom with his wife.
Grandfather Stan Smith, aged 93, won the chance to take the trip down memory lane after entering a competition at The Gables care home, in Oldbury, where he lives. Residents were asked to write about a dream they would like to see fulfilled as a Christmas wish. Stan, who has picked up medals and trophies for his fancy footwork, was picked as the winner.
He will get to live out his dream of returning to Blackpool Tower where he danced with his wife Ivy.
Ivy passed away 10 years ago and Stan has not returned to the tower since her death. The trip allows Stan to take two friends with him and he has chosen fellow residents Nora Ellesmore, aged 89, and 85-year-old Irene Bagnall.
The trio will make their way up to Blackpool for the day trip next Tuesday.
As well as visiting the ballroom at Blackpool tower, the friends will also enjoy a trip to the circus.
Stan, who lived in Tividale for his whole life, said he had not been to Blackpool for years and was really looking forward to the trip.
“It’s very nice indeed,” he said. “I’ve been to Blackpool Tower a lot of times and I really enjoyed it there.”
“I used to win medals for my dancing but now I have a bad knee so I can’t do it anymore.”
Nora said she was thrilled that Stan had invited her to go to Blackpool.
She said: “I danced in Blackpool ballroom many, many times. It has been a good many years but I had some very happy times there.”
Stan, who worked as a carpenter and a chef before retiring, is a firm favourite with staff at the care home in Wolverhampton Road.
Mary Newman, events organiser for the home, said: “Stan and his wife used to do a lot of ballroom and sequence dancing so it’s lovely that he has got the chance to go to Blackpool.”
Stan and his friends will be setting off to the historic tower in the comfort of their own minibus at around 9am before returning home in the evening.
The famous Blackpool Tower opened to the public in 1894, apparently drawing inspiration from the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
It has since become the focal point for many holidaymakers and daytrippers and ballroom dancing has always been one of the most popular forms of entertainment there.
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