About

I am the Technical Manager at Pavilion Dance South West and am proud of all the different people we support in the building. This October, I'm swapping my Steel-Toe Capped boots for running shoes and taking on the Supernova 10K in Bournemouth to raise money for two of our wellbeing programmes: Parkinson’s Dance and Groove to Improve. These programmes are about so much more than dance. For more than 14 years, our Parkinson’s Dance programme has brought people living with Parkinson’s, alongside their loved ones, together every Friday afternoon. Through movement, creativity, music and laughter, people have the opportunity to build confidence, stay active and, perhaps most importantly, feel connected. One participant described it as: "The best Friday afternoons – always different, always fun and a feeling of relaxation as well as hard work, of course. Laughter and happy times." We also run Groove to Improve, supporting people living with persistent lower back pain. It’s a gentle, creative dance programme that helps people move with greater confidence, develop sustainable movement habits and reconnect with what their bodies can do. As one participant told us: "I can see a big difference in how I feel and move throughout my whole body." Working in wellbeing, I get to see the difference these programmes can make. A class might look like a group of people dancing together, but underneath that are moments of confidence, friendship, laughter, determination and connection. For some people, it can help them feel that movement is something they can enjoy again. As a charity, we rely on the generosity of our community to keep this work going. Funding helps us subsidise these programmes and make them more accessible to the people who need them.