THEY danced with the rainbow then turned to look at the moon.

Rows of elderly Morecambe ladies gracefully moving their arms and legs in a special sequence of steps and moves.

The ancient Chinese art of tai chi, a series of gentle, flowing exercises with poetic names, is very popular at the Rainbow Centre - so much so that they now hold three classes a week to cope with demand.

Reputed to improve health and longevity, the classes are led by volunteer, James Zau, an elderly Chinese gentleman who has been practising tai chi for 20 years.

"It's good for relaxation, concentration and inner peace and quiet," explained James, with a sunny smile.

"I've been teaching here for six years now. I love it. It's very good for your health."

It's a view shared by many of the Rainbow Centre members who pack his classes.

"I sometimes come here feeling poorly but, after the tai chi, I leave feeling great," said Joyce Taylor.

"You can really feel the benefits," added Jean Buckle, who tries to practise every day, "I hate to miss it."

As well as tai chi, the Rainbow Centre offers its 630 members all sorts of activities - including art classes, line dancing, short mat bowling and bridge - to name but a few. There's a lounge serving drinks, a games room with a full size snooker table, coach trips and parties. And, everyday at the Rainbow Centre, you can always guarantee the sound of laughter and the clatter of cups and saucers as members generally enjoy themselves and socialise with friends.

"The community spirit here is fantastic," said manager, Valerie Foley.

"The centre has such a happy atmosphere and it brings people together, often when they might feel alone or lost following a bereavement. All the tutors give their time voluntarily and staff put in a lot of unpaid overtime. We offer a lot of support that would cost the authorities thousands if we weren't here."

The centre has recently come under the spotlight after the council slashed its grant by £13,000 but talks are now under way to ease its financial pressures.

Valerie added: "I think there's been a breakdown in communication but hopefully we can move on from here. If our funding is drastically cut there's no way we could maintain the same level of service and that would be a great shame. So many local people rely on us and our services would greatly missed."

Green leader, Cllr Jon Barry recently proposed that the centre be given more cash from another source and explained: "I know from first hand experience what an excellent service the centre provides. This is exactly the sort of organisation that the council should be supporting. Although this does not go all the way to solving the Rainbow Centre's budget problems, it should be a major help."

The Rainbow Centre is holding a spring fair on April 8 and are looking for businesses or individuals to kindly donate raffle prizes. If you can help please call Valerie on 415502.

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