“Dance, when you’re broken open. Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. […] Dance when you’re perfectly free.”
Jalaluddin Rumi
I am fundraising in aid of two charities through Gatecrasher Jam: Para Dance UK and The Honeypot Children’s Charity. I wanted to support organisations related to two important aspects of my life, dancing/ dance fitness and children’s welfare.
Dancing has always been my lifeline from a very early age, a way for me to process my feelings, and deal with life’s stresses. Combining dancing with fitness was a no-brainer for me; it doesn’t feel like working out but the benefits are enormous. However, so many people with visible and non-visible disabilities in the UK are unfairly excluded from the benefits of dance and/or fitness. It was therefore not difficult for me to find and pick an organisation to support, that helps others to experience the joy of exercise through the amazing power of dance.
My almost-teen son is my everything. My husband and I do all we can to ensure he has a comfortable and above all, happy life. The idea that thousands of kids in the UK do not share his positive experience, and worse, are put in the position of caring for others through circumstances beyond their control, is heartbreaking. The charity I chose supports young carers in all aspects of their lives, and strives to give them back some of their lost childhood.
The Charities
Para Dance UK
Reg Charity No: 1116988
This is the UK’s national governing body for Para Dance Sport, which in turn is governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Para Dance UK is a charity that aims to make dance accessible to all, champions inclusivity, provides training to Instructors and supports competitive wheelchair dancing. They offer free online courses and support both the disabled and the able-bodied, children with special educational needs and disabilities, and the elderly, in order to get everyone dancing in a fun, inclusive and safe way.
Their mission statement is to “develop and promote dance as a sport and an inclusive leisure activity across the country for those who would otherwise be excluded.”
The Honeypot Children’s Charity
Reg Charity No: 1184132
By definition, a young carer is someone under the age of 18 who provides care and emotional support to a parent, a grandparent, or a sibling who is ill, disabled, suffers from a mental health conditions or substance abuse. The Children’s Society estimates that there are approximately 800,000 young carers in the UK.
Honeypot is the only UK charity that provides consistent support to young carers in the 5-12 age range. They offer young carers respite and learning breaks, digital inclusion and a face-to-face outreach programme, and work with an extensive referral network of professional children’s welfare organisations all over the UK, to ensure that children with the greatest needs receive appropriate and timely support.
More information
Para Dance UK
Click on the image above to learn more about the charity.
Honeypots Children’s Charity
Click on the image above to learn more about the charity.
Gatecrasher Jam 