Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

She was sitting uncomfortably in a wheelchair, the young girl I guessed would be about Twelve years old. She appeared to be with a group of five elderly people all in wheel chairs. I was attending a tea dance at the famous ‘Olympia Ballroom in West Derby Road Liverpool. Organized by the Iron Door Club in support of Liverpool being voted European Capital of Culture 2008, The Iron Door organized a series of music related night promotions at the Olympia. (All proceeds donated to a charity. This event and the evening promotion donated to the B.B.C, Charitable Trust. )
This novelty day time promotion was especially for people who were unable to attend any night promotion. Promotional material was posted to care homes and pensioners accommodation.
The large ballroom was rammed with over a thousand in attendance. I counted twelve people, mostly elderly, in wheelchairs. I spotted the young girl, and I instinctively steered a path to where she was sitting with an elderly relative. I leaned down to talk to her ‘Would you like a twirl on the dance floor’ We waltzed round the floor; I think Jamo, who was the M.C., spotted me and organized the other wheelchairs to twirl randomly on the dance floor. The young girl was delighted that we joined a queue leading out of the ballroom towards tables laden with cream cakes.

Wonderful!

Thank you, Jeffery. I enjoyed the company of the young girl twirling the wheelchair, dodging the other dancers. The musicians were specially chosen because Billy Smart, whom we engaged, operated a famous dance school in Liverpool . Billy insisted on a strict tempo dance band.