Blackwood Miners’ Institute is celebrating the end of an era this month when the organisers of its Tuesday afternoon tea dance lead the dance for the last time.
Bernard and Gwyneth Gibbs began the weekly afternoon tea dances 20 years ago when Blackwood Miners’ Institute was renovated into a professional theatre.
An opportunity for people of all ages to make friends and enjoy a dance with a cup of tea and biscuit, the tea dance has been a much-loved fixture in the town’s social calendar.
A thousand tea dances later and the twinkle-toed couple from New Inn, Pontypool, have decided that the time has come for someone else to manage the weekly event.
Sharon Casey, general manager at Blackwood Miners’ Institute, said: “Gwyneth and Bernard are now stepping down as dance instructors and on behalf of everyone, we would like to thank them for all their hard work and commitment.
“We realise Gwyneth and Bernard are a hard act to follow but we hope there is somebody out there who could take up the reins, inventing new and exciting dance steps every week for a well-established and successful tea dance every Tuesday afternoon.”
Blackwood Miners’ Institute’s search for a new dance instructor is now underway.
If you are interested in leading the Blackwood Tea Dance into the future, then please email bmi@caerphilly.gov.uk or call 01495 224 425 for further details.