Northampton Dance Contest Funds Life-Saving Service

Image: Martin Farmer Photography

In the heart of Northampton, a dance competition is making a difference. The annual event, Strictly Northampton, is more than just a showcase of talent and rhythm. It’s a life-saving initiative, raising funds for The Air Ambulance Service, a charity that serves five counties, including Northamptonshire.

Organised by the Step-By-Step dance school, this event invites members of the public to partner with dancers for eight weeks of training. The culmination of this training is a grand performance at the town’s Royal & Derngate theatre, with all proceeds going to local charities.

Now in its 13th year, Strictly Northampton has raised an impressive £56,000 this time around, a sum that will significantly aid The Air Ambulance Service. This charity, attending approximately 10 emergencies each day, operates without government funding, relying solely on the generosity of donations and fundraising efforts.

Karen Hughes, a communications fundraiser executive and dance contestant, expressed her gratitude for the funds raised. “The money everybody raised is brilliant. It will save lives,” she said. Participating in the competition was, in her words, “absolutely mad” and “a hell of an experience”.

Another contestant, Karin Keir-Bucknall, a business teacher at Northampton College, raised more than £1,000. A lifelong “keen dancer with lots of energy”, she found the experience exhilarating. “I have always been the first one on the dance floor and the last one to leave, so this was a super experience for me,” she said.

Strictly Northampton is a testament to the power of community spirit. The dance competition not only brings joy and entertainment to the town but also contributes to a vital service that saves lives daily. It’s a beautiful dance of compassion and care, where every step taken on the dance floor echoes in the life-saving flights of The Air Ambulance Service.