An 82-year-old retired dance teacher who lives at St Benedicts Nursing Home in Glastonbury has been honoured with a fundraising line dance event that raised £1700 to help buy specialist equipment for use by residents.

Pat Palmer, who has lived in Wells since the late 1950s, grew up dancing and even performed on stage in London in her youth.

She started teaching aerobics at the leisure centre in Wells, and in the 1990s started up the Great Western Dance Group, later renamed Step In Time Line Dancing, which she ran in the town halls of Wells and Glastonbury.

When Pat retired in 2018, Dawn Wall - Pat's niece by marriage – and Dawn's dance partner Paula Welch, took over Pat's classes and have been running them ever since.

Dawn Wall said: "Pat's daughter Teresa told me that St Benedicts Nursing Home wants to raise money for a special tablet for use by their residents, and she asked if Paula and I might do a fundraising social to help.

"Our friend and fellow dance teacher Sally Earle, who is also a good friend of Pat's, generously invited us to fundraise with her at her big annual charity afternoon.

"Sally, who runs Krazy Angels, has a much larger catchment area for people attending so this was a huge advantage.

"Over the years Pat herself has raised lots of money through numerous raffles, class socials and other fundraising events - benefitting various local charities including the Air Ambulance, mental health charity Heads Up, and to support a local family with a son with special needs - with every penny of the income proudly donated to charity to help others.

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"We were therefore really pleased to do fundraising that will benefit Pat herself, and we were delighted to raise so much money.

"The event took place on the 11 July at Prattens Sports and Social Club in Radstock, with participants each contributing £7.

"In addition, Sally, Paula, myself and a whole team of other volunteers, sold raffle tickets for various donated prizes, ran stalls such as tombola, cake sales and bring 'n' buy, and provided a ploughman's lunch for attendees - and huge appreciation goes to all involved.

"Pat is such a wonderful woman. She's my husband's aunt and has been my friend for nearly 50 years.

"When my children were young we all attended her classes, and when Pat's memory started to fail a few years ago and she finally had to give up dancing and teaching she handed the teaching over to myself and Paula, and together we still run those classes which are now based in Croxley Memorial Hall."

Pat's daughter, Teresa Vaughan, said: "The amount raised was a record sum for this annual fundraiser and we, as a family, feel it's a testament to the love for Mum and all she did for the local dancing community.

"I am thrilled so much has been raised and hopefully the dementia residents of St Benedicts Nursing Home will soon be able to purchase the tablet they want.

"I would like to thank all the staff there for the amazing care my Mum receives and also the care and kindness shown to Dad when he visits: they are all absolutely incredible."

Dawn Wall and Paula Welch are pictured presenting the cheque for £1700 to St Benedicts manager Ann Barclay at the home's summer barbecue on 4 August.

Ann Barclay said: "We very much appreciate all the time and effort that went into raising this incredible donation for our residents, and send our heartfelt thanks to all involved. It's a fantastic amount that has been raised for the residents fund.

"The tablet's big screen will mean residents can see words and images clearly, and they'll be able to enjoy games and puzzles that suit their individual preferences.

"We'll also be able to support them to use it for video calls with friends and family, and to access websites allowing involvement in the community or to enable them to look at engaging online content relating to hobbies and interests both old and new.

St Benedicts Nursing Home is run by White Care Group who also run St Cecilia's Care Home in Shepton Mallet and The Rectory in Taunton.