DANCE has always played a big part in the life of Lin Hickinbottom.

The 50-year-old mother-of-two, a veteran of the late Frank Freeman's school of dance, now supports a younger generation of dancers through her work with the Royal British Legion Wyre Forest Youth Band and Dance Troupe.

As dance administrator with the group, she has been fund raiser, costumier and travel arranger, accompanying the youngsters to performances all over the country and abroad.

"I used to go dancing all the time," said Kidderminster born and bred Lin, who grew up in the days when the town used to stage concerts by chart-topping acts.

"There used to be quite a lot of live bands down at the Town Hall and it used to be absolutely packed." Among the stars Lin saw were the late Screaming Lord Sutch and Cilla Black.

Lin was educated at Franche School and Harry Cheshire High School. Her first job was in England's shoe shop but she gave that up for a secretarial course at Kidderminster College and used the skills she acquired from that working for various companies.

She has been successful in various businesses, becoming a sales representative for a cleaning company in the days when being a rep was a male-dominated profession but picking up awards as top sales person.

Lin later set up and ran well-known businesses in Kidderminster, among them Lin's Wedding Centre and Crazy Capers Fancy Dress.

During her 20s, Lin moved to the east of England and lived and worked in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire for five years, before homesickness prompted her to move back.

Her involvement with the band and dance troupe came about when her eldest son, Carl, now aged 20, but then aged nine, joined the band as a drummer.

Lin was impressed by the band's musical ability and marching but felt they were being let down by members not all having the same uniform. She threw herself into putting that right and has been full of ideas to improve their presentation ever since.

She was one of the committee members who were instrumental in adding the dance troupe to the band. It was an idea they picked up during a trip to an international competition in France.

They realised that spectators paid more attention to bands accompanied by dancers than they did to bands solely relying on music for attention. When the dancers were added, Lin was the natural candidate for the role of dance administrator.

As a lone mother, Lin has to fit in her commitments to the troupe with her work as a childminder, which can see her working very early in the morning or late at night.

She considers it all worthwhile, saying: "The kids get a lot of fun out of it."