A COUPLE who founded a successful date box business are taking on a Strictly Come Dancing-style ballroom challenge to raise money for a hospice.

Kate and John Greenhalgh, from Bolton, run A Year of Dates, an online firm selling boxes of envelopes containing 12 months of dating ideas, encouraging couples to try new experiences and create memories together.

Now they have decided to follow their own advice, and have signed up for the four-month Strictly Learn to Dance challenge run by Bolton hospice, pledging to raise at least £500 each in sponsorship.

The pair will be taught how to foxtrot, quickstep and salsa in weekly classes led by expert teachers from A Touch of Class dance studios in Little Lever.

They will then dance in a grand finale in April, where they will compete against other couples in the challenge in front of a live audience at the Bolton Whites Hotel.

Kate said: “One of the ideas in our dating box is to take a dance lesson together, so we thought it was time we took our own advice.

“I love watching Strictly on TV and now I get to experience some of the glitz and excitement. And learning to dance with John is great as it is something completely different for us to do together, it’s even better that we’ll be raising money for such a worthwhile cause while we do it.”

The pair have also donated 50 of their Self Care Collection boxes to hardworking staff at the hospice.

To sponsor Kate and John go to justgiving.com/kategreenhalghayod