by STACEY HEANEY

_{Brookmount Dance Ranch teacher, Sharon Hendron, presents �2500 to RVH Colo-Rectal Fund representative, Mr Roy Maxwell, the surgeon who helped Sharon through her operations.}

EACH year members of Brookmount Dance Ranch raise funds to support a local charity and this year's beneficiary is one which is very close to the heart of Brookmount dance teacher Sharon Hendron.

The group were delighted to present Mr Roy Maxwell with a cheque for �2,500 for the RVH Colo-Rectal Fund on Friday April 18, which will be used to provide research and equipment for the charity.

The RVH Colo-Rectal Fund is a charity for people with bowel diseases such as Crohns Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Bowel Cancer etc and Sharon, who suffered from Ulcerative Colitis knows only too well how important the charity is.

Sharon commented, "I myself had Ulcerative Colitis and five operations later I am back on my feet again.

"Each year we choose a different charity and I proposed this one as I know how important it is. I have seen the people in the wards, and although I felt awful, there is always someone ten times worse. Until you have been there you don't really hear of it, it wasn't until 1997 when I had my first operation, that I heard of these problems."

Sharon was delighted to present the cheque to Mr Roy Maxwell on Friday night as he was the surgeon who helped her through her operations.

She continued, "We not only wanted to raise money for this charity but also raise awareness. We did this by getting sponsored for doing the Lisburn Fun Run, ending with a wee line dance of course; running a raffle with prizes generously donated by local businesses; line dance demonstrations and a few social nights.

"We were thrilled to present RVH Colo-Rectal Fund representative, Mr Roy Maxwell, with a cheque for �2500, and would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported our fundraising efforts this year."

Brookmount's line dance classes for beginners and intermediates are held every Monday night in Lowquarters Orange Hall on the Ballinderry Road., Magheragall. So if you want a fun way to keep fit and an opportunity to do your bit for local charities, then give Sharon a call on 028 92661559.