Video by Paul D. Swarbrick.

On Friday 15 May there was a dance spectacle on the grassy knoll in Lord Street, Preston. Along with Feixia Yu, President of Confucius Institute at UCLan, Master Zhang Ying and a number of students the Tai Chi Fan was performed by the Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Nick Pomfret and Barbara Pomfret, dressed in traditional Tai Chi uniform.

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Pic: Gillian Lawson

Pic: Gillian Lawson

During their recent trip to Beijing paid for by Beijing University, the Mayor and students from UCLan started to learn the 52 Tai Chi Fan moves. They spent four hours a day perfecting the moves and, since returning from China, have undertaken two hours a week of further training.

Mayor of Preston, Councillor Nicholas Pomfret, said: “I have a fond interest in martial arts having partaken in training for roughly 20 years of my life. But I had never tried Tai Chi Fan. I find the form enjoyable as it incorporates wide range of movements from non-martial sources. Coupled with the distinctively motivating, energising music.

“It’s very fitting that this is one of the final events in my Mayoral year. With this being one of my last actions I would love to raise awareness and donations for my chosen charity, St Catherine’s Hospice.”

The Mayor of Preston’s chosen charity, St Catherine’s Hospice, just giving page is at Justiving

Pic: Gillian Lawson

Pic: Gillian Lawson

Senior fundraiser at St Catherine’s Hospice, Lynne Whittaker, added: “The support of Mayor and Mayoress Pomfret during their term of office has been absolutely fantastic.

“The variety of activities and events they have organised and got involved in with, along with their enthusiasm for the cause, has been wonderful. The fan dance performance was amazing – certainly a very creative and unusual way to raise funds!

“The money they have raised over the past 12 months will help St Catherine’s to provide our specialised care and enable our staff to be there for local people when it really matters most.”

Did you go to see the Tai Chi Fan performance? Let us know in the comments below.