Dance cash for hospice; Women groove to Bhangra beat.

Byline: By EMMA DAVISON News Reporter

WOMEN and girls are to shimmy Bollywood-

style to raise money for charity.

Dozens of females aged five to 30 will converge upon Huddersfield's Hudawi Centre next month to take part in a mammoth four-hour sponsored dance.

They will work with a professional dancer to learn their moves so they can groove to the best Bhangra and Bollywood tunes to raise thousands of pounds for the Martin House Children's Hospice.

The Wetherby-based hospice works to help children with life-limiting illnesses.

People from all cultures are taking part in the event, including dozens of pupils from local schools.

The novel event, which takes place on April 19, has been organised by Jas Gujral, of Fixby, and Heckmondwike-based dentist Gurpreet Midha.

Jas said she was moved to organise an event to help sick children because she has young children of her own.

"It's such a wonderful cause," she said. "My husband, Sukhdeep, and I feel that we are so fortunate to have two children that are healthy and doing well that we wanted to give something back to the community. We wanted to help children who are less fortunate and give them a better quality of life towards the end.

"My husband is a local family doctor at Marsh surgery, so we both felt we needed to do something for all those children.He has worked an extra session at the Local Care Direct at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary to finance this event. TheHudawi Centre has provided us with a 50% discount, supported by Safer Stronger Communities."

DJRicky Bhalla from Karma Entertainment will be providing the music and choreographer Deepti Makkar from Anaya's Bollywood will be teaching the moves.

Jas, who works in information systems development for O2, said: "There are 70 women of all ages, mostly young girls, signed up to take part on the day and we are all really looking to it as it's something different.

"We're hoping to have a lot of fun as well as raise as much as possible for the charity.

"We want the girls to come down, learn something new about the dancing and the culture and all have a good time together. It's going to be a real multicultural event."

Jas hopes that the event will raise pounds 5,000 and she has collected pounds 400 towards the total as she will be one of the dancers on the day.

She plans to make the event a permanent annual fixture and shewill be holding it in aid of the West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust next time.

Anyone wishing to sponsor Jas can contact her on 01484 431951.

CAPTION(S):

COME DANCING: Jas Gujral is organising a sponsored dance in aid of sick children (s); GLAMOUR: Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty, who appeared in Big Brother