101-year-old dancer launching new daily fitness classes for charity

By Ed Cullinane via SWNS

Britain's oldest dancer is launching new daily fitness classes to raise money for charity - and mark her 102nd birthday.

Dinkie Flowers was born in 1921 and went on to be an international ice skater and stage star.

She has been dancing since the age of three - and even made her first TV debut on the BBC's "The Greatest Dancer" in 2020 aged 98.

Dance-obsessed Dinkie will turn 102 on May 7, and like previous years she's hoping to raise money for the occasion.

The mom-of-one and grandmother-of-four from Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex is raising money for local charity The Gateway Hub.

The group was established during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides food and support for vulnerable families in the area.

To raise money for the group, Dinkie will be doing one hour sessions of "keep fit and dance" for three days each week with her carer Lesley Tomlinson.

Dinkie and Lesley have even put their local MP through his paces, inviting East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton to join them for an hour's session on Friday, April 21.

Lesley said: "I often tell Dinkie that she's a 'force against nature' - it's astonishing how she can still keep dancing at her age.

"She's an amazing woman, and we always enjoy our dance classes together.

"She's raised abour £300 so far, but we can always do better - there's lots of time between now and her birthday on the seventh.

"It was great fun having Tim join us on Friday, he really got into the spirit of it - even if he was quite shocked at how hard the exercises were.

"He's been a huge supporter of Dinkie, and even helped her meet Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle - who she had a little dance with in his private Parliamentary lodgings."

The MP said he was shocked that Dinkie could still do many of the exercises - admitting he was knackered after the class.

He said: "I am delighted that Dinkie is once again dancing to raise money for such an important cause.

"I would encourage as many people as possible to back her fundraiser for the Fishersgate hub, which does incredible work in our community."

You can support Dinkie's campaign here.