DanceSyndrome has three exciting job opportunities to join our team in Lancashire.
This is an exciting time to be joining DanceSyndrome where inclusivity, equality and equity create a vibrant energised connected ‘family’. We aim to maximise our impact on a big scale. We have bold ambitions to deliver an outstanding, collaborative, and high-quality programme of co-produced and co-delivered inclusive dance across the North-West, to develop a pathway of opportunities for people with learning disabilities from early years to adulthood and to develop a best practice social replication model.
At DanceSyndrome, we change mindsets about leaders with learning disabilities through a bold model of co-produced dance. Our direct impact creates hope for the future by growing confidence, building experience and providing creative opportunities in a pioneering way.
The charity was founded by Jen Blackwell, who has Down’s syndrome, because she found it difficult to find opportunities in community dance that were accessible to people with learning disabilities.
DanceSyndrome’s ethos is that disability should never be a barrier to following your dreams. All DanceSyndrome sessions are disability led, with people with learning disabilities taking visible Dance Leader roles to inspire people to see what can be achieved when we all become more inclusive.
Over the last four years, the charity has experienced an exponential increase in demand, both regionally and nationally, so we are looking to grow our team to help us to achieve our ambitious plans, and have three new exciting job opportunities.
Our Strategic Approach
This is a really exciting time for our charity. We are working towards our strategy: Vision 2030 with three key strands:
The Job Opportunities:
We are looking for an exceptional, experienced, self-motivated and enthusiastic individual to represent DanceSyndrome at the heart of our communities taking our inclusive person-centred offering to the next level.
The Head of Community will oversee several vibrant and active communities; build community engagement and cohesion; and collect, collate and analyse key data to demonstrate impact and to drive forward strategic planning and decision making. This is alongside developing and managing both strategic and operational long-term partnerships & collaborations across communities in the North-West and building and executing an engaging and effective Volunteer Programme to support all Community workshops.
This role supports strand one of DanceSyndrome’s ambitious strategy; Vision 2023; ‘To deliver an outstanding, collaborative, and high-quality programme of co-produced and co-delivered inclusive dance across the North-West’.
Download the full Job Description and Person Specification here.
DanceSyndrome are looking for a highly skilled Programmes & Operations Manager with a minimum of three years’ administrative experience to provide professional, inclusive and efficient administrative support across DanceSyndrome’s Community Programme and Operations.
This role is responsible for overseeing and managing the weekly Community timetable, and all associated administrative processes, co-ordinating key systems, and ensuring the smooth running of day-to-day operations, particularly in relation to session bookings, CRM management and team co-ordination.
This role is comprises of administration and programme management.
Download the full Job Description & Person Specification here.
DanceSyndrome are looking for a Data & Impact Manager with a minimum of 2 years’ work experience to lead, manage and ensure the effective day-to-day execution of DanceSyndrome’s Data & Impact work.
You will lead on data collection and gathering impact and evidence through a number of different tools from various Stakeholders and analyse and interpret the results to inform Organisational Strategy and Operations.
The role will assist to embed DanceSyndrome’s Evaluation Framework, which has an emphasis on the Five Ways to Wellbeing.
Download the full Job Description & Person Specification here.
Equal Opportunities:
The DanceSyndrome family is filled with passionate and motivated people who are committed to creating a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential.
Inclusion, diversity and equity are at the heart of our organisation. We are keen to hear from applicants of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences. You do not need specific experience of working previously with people with learning disabilities, we are looking for people who believe in what we do and want to support DanceSyndrome to grow its impact and to help create a fairer, more inclusive and equitable society for everyone.
To Express An Interest In Applying:
To apply for any of the job opportunities, please send a CV and covering letter stating why the role interests you to the Managing Director, Julie Nicholson at julie@dancesyndrome.co.uk with “Job Application” as the email subject.
If you would like an informal chat about the role, Julie can be contacted by phone on 07887 931510.
We are very happy to accommodate any requests for reasonable adjustments. Please let Julie know as part of your application.
Please apply before 12pm on Monday 11th August.
There will be a two-stage formal application process with interviews conducted online. Stage one interviews will take place on the 20th, 21st & 22nd August. Stage two interview dates TBC.
Lucy Burgess is a Dance Leader from Poulton-le-Fylde. She joined DanceSyndrome in 2014 at the age of 21. Lucy heard about DanceSyndrome through Preston College and came along to try a workshop. She loved the sessions and progressed on to complete our in-house accredited Leadership Training course. Lucy is also part of DanceSyndrome’s ‘DS Collective Performance Company’ and she especially enjoys performance work.
As part of DanceSyndrome’s Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation project, the charity has commitment to be proactive about Environmental Responsibility. In October 2024, a focus group was conducted with Dance Leaders to find out their understanding of environmental issues and climate change. During this focus group Lucy demonstrated a real passion for environmental responsibility and came up with some great ideas, including creating DanceSyndrome branded reusable water bottles to reduce plastic use. These were created and gifted to Dance Leaders in November 2024.
Following the focus group, the DanceSyndrome team identified Lucy as a great choice for a new Dance Leader Environment Champion role. In this role, Lucy takes on extra tasks in relation to environmental responsibility and she listens to the views of other Dance Leaders and feeds them back to the DanceSyndrome Environmental Responsibility Working Group.
Lucy has joined monthly ‘Environmental Working Group’ meetings to help plan for DanceSyndrome’s first ever ‘Environment Week’ which will take place in July 2025. Lucy has been given role description explaining to her what the role entails, and she has undertaken her own research into science, technology and the environment, as well as looking at some of the politics around science and government.
Lucy has also created posters to put up in Plungington Community Centre that explain what happens to waste that is created in the centre. She is keen to share all her learning about the environment with fellow Dance Leader colleagues and fulfilling the Environment Champion wonderfully.
Lucy’s commitment to the environment extends outside of DanceSyndrome into a voluntary role that she carries out for another organisation. Lucy has a part-time role working in the Red Cross charity shop in Poulton-le-Fylde. Lucy loves to talk about the fact that charity shops are a great way of “reducing, reusing and recycling” a wide range of household items, including clothing, toys, books and more.
The DanceSyndrome team are all very proud of Lucy and what she is achieving! She is a determined lady who always looks for opportunities to grow and make progress and she is demonstrating this through her new Environment Champion role.
The DanceSyndrome team thinks Lucy is doing an excellent job of challenging the way that society sees people with learning disabilities!
Follow our social media channels to find out more about our upcoming Environment Week and how you can get involved! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, Linked In and YouTube
Monday 16th June sees the start of national Learning Disability Week 2025. This year, the theme is “Do you see me?”
This is something that DanceSyndrome’s dancers have considered a lot in recent years, as we work to raise awareness about what people with learning disabilities can achieve when given the right support and opportunities.
DanceSyndrome is an inclusive dance charity supporting people with learning disabilities to access a wide range of opportunities in community dance. A huge part of our mission is to challenge the way that society sees people with learning disabilities and what they are able to achieve. We challenge the barriers that people with a learning disability face by demonstrating and celebrating the amazing work that our Dance Leaders with learning disabilities are doing. This is exactly what the national #LDWeek campaign is about.
You can check out the daily Learning Disability Week 2025 posts on our social media channels: Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube.
iCreate
“Do you see me?”
During Learning Disability Week, we want to amplify the voices of our Dance Leaders with learning disabilities, and make them more visible by sharing the ways that they use dance to challenge perceptions. They truly demonstrate how people with learning disabilities can achieve amazing things when they are seen and supported properly by wider society.
Follow us on social media throughout #LDWeek25 as we share the vision and ideas of some of our Choreographers and Shadowers who have produced dance pieces for iCreate ’25: Choreographic Celebration. Check out the videos below for a look at the iCreate process and why it is so important to people with learning disabilities.
Now in its second year, this pioneering Arts Council England funded project puts people with and without disabilities at the forefront of dance creation.
Join us on Sunday 29th June for the celebration event, where we will premiere 11 newly commissioned dance pieces, showcasing the incredible creativity of emerging choreographers.
This groundbreaking Arts Council England-funded project is more than a performance – it’s a movement that isn’t just changing dance, it’s changing lives.
iCreate is rewriting the rules of who gets to choreograph, lead and inspire in the dance world.
By championing people with disabilities and celebrating diverse voices, DanceSyndrome is breaking down barriers and redefining what’s possible on stage – and beyond.
Every piece in this extraordinary programme has been crafted from the ground up by the artists themselves, from choreography and music to costumes, lighting and set design. Each work is a bold, personal and professional artistic statement, delivered with vision and authenticity.
If you want to see dance that’s daring, deeply personal and refreshingly original, you are in the right place!
iCreate ‘25
Sunday 29th June
3:30pm
The Media Factory, Preston
£10
Tickets are available to book online here: iCreate ’25: Choreographic Celebration
Upcoming Events & Activities
We hope that you will join us this week at one of our events, or by joining the conversation on social media. We hope to inspire people to see how much people with learning disabilities are able to achieve if they are given the right support. As a small charity, our mission is to provide the support needed so that people with learning disabilities can not just be included in dance sessions, but can take on visible leadership roles. Our work transforms lives for people who might not be able to access those opportunities elsewhere, and we’d love for you to get involved!
Comedy Carpet Takeover
We’re looking forward to a trip to Blackpool for a Comedy Carpet Takeover on Monday 7th July as part of the Capital of Dance event!
Join us as we dance on the Comedy Carpet opposite Blackpool Tower between 12pm and 2pm!
Join a Dance Session
If you’re looking for a new dance activity, we have community dance sessions across Lancashire, as well as a range of session online via Zoom. Check out the full list of activities and book online on the Book a Session page.
EXPRESS ’25
EXPRESS is a showcase of performances by our Everybody Dance community groups from across Lancashire. It’s one of our most popular opportunities for dancers with learning disabilities to be seen in society. We’d love it if you would join us to watch the show!
EXPRESS ’25 – Sunday 20th July, 3pm – 5pm, at Blackburn Empire Theatre. (£12.50)
Get your tickets via the Blackburn Empire Theatre website.
If you would like to support DanceSyndrome’s life-changing work with people with learning disabilities during Learning Disability Awareness Week, please visit our Donate page or donate directly using the form below.
Helen Cherry: Workfit Case Study
Helen Cherry, from Merseyside, joined DanceSyndrome in 2017 at the age of 27. She completed our Dance By Example leadership training course with a view to co-leading her own dance sessions. Helen really loved the course and when it ended she really wanted to continue working with DanceSyndrome, so she joined the DS Collective performance company.
Helen was a confident performer as a result of many years of previous performing experience, including working as a TV extra for the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV, including 15 episodes on Coronation Street! She thrived in rehearsals and this resulted in her taking the lead female role in DanceSyndrome’s 2018 Edinburgh Fringe performance piece “Lit aDrift” as her first performance role with the company. She has since been involved in a wide range of performance pieces in a range of styles including Ballet, Contemporary, Musical Jazz and Street Dance.
During the pandemic, Helen used her skills from Dance By Example to become a regular co-leader of DanceSyndrome’s online dance workshops, adding to her list of talents, which includes a range of fitness activities, playing the piano and violin, as well as dancing!
Helen loves to keep busy and has worked with several high-profile arts organisations, including DaDaFest, Extraordinary Bodies and Shadow Dance. She loves to do administrative work too, so in 2024 she became involved with Down’s Syndrome Association’s DS Workfit scheme. With the support of a Workfit Officer, an opportunity was identified for Helen to take on a Finance Assistant role with NHS Merseycare, which she started in early 2025.
Helen said “I am Admin Assistant in the NHS so I will be getting training so I know what to do and hopefully I will be a proper Financial person as well. I’m a Staff member now, I travel independently and I’ve got my Staff Badge. I’ve been doing an introduction of what I’m doing. I’ll be doing the paperwork of Health Checks. I have been sorting out the letters, expenses and payroll. I give the letters to the right people. I’ve been doing a bit of Admin as well and in the future I will be helping putting flyers and posters on the noticeboard as well. I’m getting to know the tasks a bit. I have a Line Manager who is the Senior Administrator, she supports me if I need it.”
Helen is a very busy lady and we feel very lucky to have her involved with DanceSyndrome!
To find out more about Workfit, visit the Down’s Syndrome Association website. Helen’s story is one of several that we are sharing as part of Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week. If you’d like to know more about this vital campaign to challenge perceptions about learning disabilities, please visit the News page on our website.
Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week 2025
Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week is a national campaign to help people to understand what life is like for people who have Down’s syndrome and to encourage society to become more inclusive in the way that they treat people with Down’s syndrome.
The theme this year is “Improve our Support Systems.” The theme is developed by Down’s Syndrome Association. They explain the theme:
Everyone needs support sometimes. The support that we may need will be different for every person, and that’s just the same for people who have Down’s syndrome.
Getting the right support at the right time opens up opportunities for people who have Down’s syndrome; so they can live the lives they want, giving them choice, control and dignity.
Families also need support, to care for and advocate for their loved ones.
A key part of DanceSyndrome’s ethos is the belief that people with Down’s syndrome and other learning disabilities can achieve amazing things when given the right level of support, and we demonstrate this through our inclusive dance work. All DanceSyndrome dance activities are co-produced by Dance Leaders with learning disabilities, working with professional Dance Artists, to provide opportunities for them to be more visible in society.
We will sharing some videos on social media that show what people with learning disabilities can achieve with good support and also how our work supports their families, parents and carers too.
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Dance Leader Created Content
Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week is a vital campaign that gives people with Down’s syndrome an opportunity to have their voices heard, so we asked our Dance Leaders what they would like to share on social media during the week. A group of Dance Leaders took part in a Content Creation Masterclass in January and February to develop ideas and create content for social media content and this is being shared on DanceSyndrome’s channels during the week.
The Dance Leaders were supported by Kate Battersby, our Professional Development Programme Manager, and the content that they created can be seen below:
Watch the tutorial and learn the routine!
Put the moves into a routine and share a video on our social media!
Find out what a day in the life of our Dance Leaders is like.
Can you join in with David and Kate’s Dance Challenge? David had a great idea for a campaign where he would demonstrate some dance moves for people to copy and follow. They could record themselves dancing and share their videos with us on social media, tagging our page and using #DanceSyndrome. Our community dance workshops have got behind his campaign and created videos and these are being shared during the week too. We’d love to see your videos on our social media channels:
Support our work during Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week
There are lots of ways to support DanceSyndrome!
This week we are sharing several opportunities to join us as a volunteer. Click the links for more information:
We also have paid work opportunities for Freelance Dance Artists.
We’re also sharing a key fundraising campaign this week called Arts For Impact. This is a match-funding campaign by The Big Give. Every donation made between midday Tuesday 18th March – midday Tuesday 25th March will be doubled by The Big Give, ensuring twice the impact for your donation!
What better time to support this campaign than during Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week? Click on the image below to find out more about the campaign and donate!
Malcolm Blackwell is the Chair of DanceSyndrome. Malcolm’s daughter Jen and wife Sue co-founded DanceSyndrome in 2009, after struggling to find opportunities for people with Down’s syndrome and other learning disabilities to work in community dance.
Malcolm has over 35 years’ experience of running international manufacturing businesses, giving him an insight into managing change effectively, building teams and empowering people. His recent retirement allowed him to take on the role of Chair as the organisation takes forward an ambitious strategy, Vision 2030. Malcolm’s career, combined with his lived experience of being a parent of a person with a learning disability, uniquely qualifies him to lead DanceSyndrome.
In this blog, Malcolm writes about how rewarding the role Trustee can be and how you can use your own skills to support our work.
How to Make a Difference
By Malcolm Blackwell, Chair of the Board of Trustees, DanceSyndrome
As Chair of DanceSyndrome I’ve come to appreciate that being a Trustee is far more than a Governance role – it’s a deeply enriching experience, both professionally and personally. I have the privilege of being part of an organisation that not only transforms lives but also sets a benchmark for what a vibrant, community-driven charity can achieve.
At its core, the role of a Trustee is about making a positive impact. Trustees are responsible for guiding a charity’s strategic direction, ensuring that it fulfils its mission and adheres to legal requirements. Yet, the experience goes well beyond these responsibilities. Serving on the board has allowed me to channel my professional skills into a cause I passionately believe in, while growing in ways I hadn’t anticipated. It has given me a unique perspective on leadership, inclusion and governance, complemented by a sense of purpose that extends beyond my career.
DanceSyndrome’s impact is profound. Each year, we reach over 9,000 people through our dance classes, leadership training, and performances. The work we do builds confidence, fosters independence, and improves both physical and mental well-being. More importantly, it challenges societal barriers and demonstrates what true inclusion looks like. Being part of this journey has been humbling. I’ve seen first-hand how our programs transform not only the lives of participants but also the perspectives of those who engage with us as audiences, partners, and supporters.
Beyond its immediate impact, DanceSyndrome is an organisation with bold ambitions. We want to upscale our reach, develop pathways for young people with learning disabilities, and create a model that can be replicated nationally and internationally. It’s an exhilarating time to be part of the charity, and the energy and passion of our team make it very rewarding.
Being a Trustee is not a role that demands endless hours, but it does require enthusiasm, a collaborative mindset, and a genuine belief in the charity’s mission. Attendance at four board meetings each year and the Annual General Meeting also gives opportunities to contribute to strategy discussions, working groups, or represent the charity at various events. It allows one to be part of a movement that is creating real change.
DanceSyndrome is currently seeking new Trustees to join our board. Do you have expertise in areas such as Finance, HR, IT, or legal compliance? We are also looking for a Treasurer. However, what matters most is a passion for inclusion and a willingness to contribute your skills to our vision of a fairer, more equitable society where everyone can shine.
I encourage anyone who is inspired by our work to consider joining us. You’ll not only make a difference to the lives of others but also enrich your own in ways you may not expect.
Consider becoming a Trustee with DanceSyndrome and to apply, visit our the Trustee Opportunities page on our website.
Together, we can ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, has the opportunity of a better life.
Volunteer Opportunities
Community Workshop Volunteer
We have an exciting opportunity for 2 or 3 x volunteers to join us to work on a rotation basis at our weekly Everybody Dance session at Plungington Community Centre in Preston.
The Community Workshop Volunteer will support the Dance Artist & Dance Leader who co-lead the session by providing the following support:
- Managing money/payments & receipts
- Helping to set up the room
- Welcoming & inducting/on-boarding new participants/ensuring new participants have necessary paperwork
- Answering questions
- Offering encouragement & support to all participants so they can join in as much as they want to
Please download the Information Pack for an explanation of what the role will require.
Merchandising Volunteer
We have an exciting opportunity for 2 or 3 x volunteers to join us to develop our merchandise offer at DanceSyndrome from product development and marketing to online sales and distribution.
What we’re looking for:
- A group of Volunteers (who may be friends or people studying together) to work with us flexibly for between 2-4 hours/week over the next 18 months.
- People with experience/expertise in marketing, product development and selling online, who have fresh ideas, enthusiasm and are able to drive projects to fruition.
- You must be able to travel to Accrington, Preston, and other locations across Lancashire.
Please download the Information Pack for an explanation of what the role will require.
Equal Opportunities
The DanceSyndrome family is filled with passionate and motivated people. We particularly welcome applicants from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic communities, People with Disabilities and Older People to apply for these roles. You do not need specific experience of dancing or working previously with people with learning disabilities, we are looking for people who believe in what we do and want to support DanceSyndrome to grow its impact and to help create a fairer, more inclusive and equitable society for everyone.
Please complete our anonymous Equal Opportunities Monitoring form when applying for these roles.
To Express An Interest In Applying
Please download the relevant information pack before applying. Details of how to apply are included.
Community Workshop Volunteer Opportunity Information Pack
Merchandising Volunteer Opportunity Information Pack
We would like people to be in these roles as soon as possible, so please apply now.
DanceSyndrome is expanding our Board of Trustees. We are looking for passionate individuals with skills and expertise across Finance, Children & Young People, Digital and IT, HR and Legal and Compliance.
DanceSyndrome, a charity since 2013, has established itself as the leader of inclusive dance in the North West and is considered to be one of its kind with its unique selling point of dancers with learning disabilities at the forefront of all activities and decisions from workshop delivery to choreography and performance to providing feedback to the board and as trustees themselves.
We are currently looking for new Trustees to join the DanceSyndrome family, alongside our existing team, to support the continued growth of our organisation. Trustees will be energised and motivated and believe passionately that every single person in society can contribute and engage when given appropriate support, and that the world is stronger when we are all embraced, included, and welcomed.
We are based in Lancashire but welcome applications for remote Trustees. We currently have Trustees based in Portugal and the Netherlands.
The role of Trustee is a volunteer role and is not accompanied by any financial remuneration, although reasonable expenses for travel may be claimed (when relevant).
The role requires attendance & contribution at four Board meetings per year and any required prep work, and the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Quarterly Board Meetings take place online or in person at a North West location.
There will also be potential additional engagement in strategy work and sub working groups throughout the year and occasional representation of the charity at various events with key stakeholders.
For full details of the role and requirements, please see the Job Description and Person Specification.
About DanceSyndrome:
DanceSyndrome is an inclusive and multi-award winning charity creating change for people with learning disabilities and transforming lives through dance in a unique, groundbreaking way which doesn’t exist anywhere else.
Established in 2009 as a limited company, DanceSyndrome became a charity in 2013. Under the current Managing Director, the charity has experienced an exponential increase in demand both regionally and nationally, and has been added to Arts Council England’s 2023-26 National Portfolio. DanceSyndrome is a truly beneficiary-led organisation. Through our unique approach and methodology for co-design and co-delivery, we empower people with learning disabilities through inclusive dance. We offer a broad programme of innovative dance, leadership, inclusion workshops and training for people with learning disabilities, whilst addressing health inequalities, social inclusion, prevention, and transformation.
We now reach over 9,000 people annually as participants and audiences, through our community outreach, inclusive training, events and performances. In 2024, we have broadened our reach to work on a national and international level.
This is a really exciting time for our charity. We are working towards our strategy: Vision 2030 with three key strands:
You can download the full application pack, including the Job Description, here.
Equal Opportunities:
The DanceSyndrome family is filled with passionate and motivated people who are committed to creating a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential.
Inclusion, diversity and equity are at the heart of our organisation. We are keen to hear from applicants of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences. You do not need specific experience of working previously with people with learning disabilities, we are looking for people who believe in what we do and want to support DanceSyndrome to grow its impact and to help create a fairer, more inclusive and equitable society for everyone.
To Express An Interest In Applying:
To apply for the role, please send a CV and covering letter stating why this role interests you to the Managing Director, Julie Nicholson at julie@dancesyndrome.co.uk with “Trustee Application” as the email subject.
If you would like an informal chat about the role, Julie can be contacted by phone on 07887 931510.
We are very happy to accommodate any requests for reasonable adjustments. Please let Julie know as part of your application.
There will be a two-stage formal application process. We will be interviewing as and when suitable candidates apply, so please apply as soon as possible.
Reflecting on an Incredible 2024 at DanceSyndrome
As 2024 comes to a close, we’re celebrating what has been a truly extraordinary year for DanceSyndrome. From prestigious awards to international collaborations and community impact, this year has shown the power of inclusive dance to transform lives. Here are some of our highlights:
Award-Winning Achievements
We are incredibly proud to have received several prestigious awards this year, including:
- Highly Commended in the Inclusive Innovators category at the Northern Power Women Awards.
- The Music and Culture for Wellbeing Award at the inaugural Northern Music Awards.
- Two Gold Stevie® Awards at the International Business Awards in Istanbul:
- Organization of the Year – Non-Profit (Small)
- Thought Leader of the Year for our Co-Founder Sue Blackwell.
- Four Silver Stevie® Awards at the Women in Business Awards in New York, recognizing our team’s leadership and dedication.
A special moment came when our Founder, Jen Blackwell, was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts by the University of Salford. At a moving ceremony at The Lowry Theatre, Jen delivered an emotional speech that earned a well-deserved standing ovation.
International Recognition
This year, DanceSyndrome reached global audiences!
- Our team travelled to Tokyo to deliver dance leadership workshops as part of a partnership with LAND FES, promoting accessibility in dance and society across Japan.
- On the same week, another small team joined the international panel at the 2nd National Entrepreneurship & Disability Congress in Bilbao, Spain.
- We also collaborated online with Down for Dance in California, showcasing how inclusive dance can break down all barriers, including distance.
National Impact in the UK
Back home, our work made a meaningful impact on leadership and inclusion:
- We have started co-delivering bespoke “Inclusion in Action” workshops as part of a national Foundation of Nursing Studies development programme. Over 180 NHS In-Patient Ward Managers across mental health, learning disability, and autism services will gain skills and confidence to lead cultural change in their wards over the course of the 6-month programme.
We also contributed to NHS England’s national campaign to highlight the vital role of Learning Disability Nurses, producing a series of videos that were incredibly well-received.
Reaching More People Through Dance
Thanks to continued funding from Arts Council England and the National Lottery Community Fund, we engaged with over 9,000 people this year through our inclusive dance programmes.
Key highlights include:
- The return of our EXPRESS Showcase, where community workshop participants had the opportunity to perform in front of 200 people in a theatre setting.
- The success of our DS Youth Collective, who represented the North West at the National U.Dance Festival.
- Supporting seven dancers with learning disabilities to step into choreography roles through our iCreate project.
We also hosted our first-ever ENCORE ’24 Retreat, bringing together our online and in-person dancers for a very special celebration of inclusive dance.
Looking Ahead to 2025
This year we have shown, more than ever, that inclusive dance transforms lives, challenges perceptions, and inspires communities. But as a small charity, we rely on fundraising and grants to keep our work going.
If you’d like to support us in 2025, please consider making a one off or regular donation using the form below.
To everyone who has supported us this year — whether through donations, attending our events, or spreading the word — thank you so much from our team and beneficiaries.
Here’s to more dancing, inclusion, and incredible achievements in 2025!
On Wednesday 18th December, Becky Rich was announced as the recipient of the Christine Doolan Memorial Award for 2024.
The award is given in honour of DanceSyndrome supporter Chris Doolan, who sadly passed away in 2021, and it aims to reflect the love that the DanceSyndrome family have for her that will always live on.
Chris Doolan was Dance Leader Pauline Hall’s sister and they both joined DanceSyndrome in 2017. Everyone involved with DanceSyndrome came to love Chris for her kindness and generosity and her straight-talking, no-nonsense attitude. Chris loved all that DanceSyndrome stood for and she herself would help anyone in need. She joined in with the weekly dance sessions in Preston and further afield, travelling across the UK to hundreds of events and showcases. She was determined that Pauline would have the life she chose and never let disability be a barrier. “Nothing about me without me” was her motto, echoing DanceSyndrome’s person-centred values and mission to treat everyone equitably and with respect. Chris had experienced discriminatory practices throughout her work life, and she made it clear to everyone that it was unacceptable; she would challenge anyone to break down barriers for Pauline and her peers to be included and consulted. She was vocal about how much DanceSyndrome had enabled Pauline to thrive and live her best life.
This award was created in 2021 to celebrate Chris’s life and honour the contribution she made to DanceSyndrome and to the Learning Disability community. Every year we look for a winner who has:
– shown bravery, compassion and caring
– refused to give in when there were barriers
– challenged difficulties and overcome them
– been a great friend to others and brought joy and laughter to all.
Like Chris herself, the annual award winner leads by example with integrity and demonstrates great generosity of spirit and heart, giving us all something that we can all learn from.
In 2024, Becky Rich displayed all these wonderful attributes. Becky was nominated for the award by her Dance Leader colleagues because she consistently showed kindness and compassion for her colleagues throughout the year.
Becky is 34 years old from Preston. She joined DanceSyndrome in 2016 and completed our ‘Dance By Example’ Leadership Training. As well as co-leading dance workshops, it soon became clear that Becky had a talent for public speaking, networking and writing letters to generate support for our work. She actively pursued the opportunity of becoming a Spokesperson and Ambassador for DanceSyndrome, being interviewed on TV and radio as well as at high profile events. She has had some amazing experiences including trips to the Edinburgh Fringe, Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street and being a Queen’s Baton Bearer for the Commonwealth Games. Becky is a well-known and well-loved DanceSyndrome representative who always works hard to promote the work we do, but we are especially proud that in 2024 her Dance Leader colleagues have recognised that she also goes above and beyond to be kind and compassionate towards others in our community, making her a very worthy recipient of DanceSyndrome’s Christine Doolan Award.
Becky said “Everyone thank you for voting for me for the Chris Doolan Award. My feelings about the award it means a lot to me and it feels great. I am on top of the world. Everyone I love you in the same way that I love Chris Doolan. I am really proud of myself and I am jolly well proud of my award. This means a lot to me. It is everything to me. Thank you.”
Previous winners of the Christine Doolan Award:
2021 – Pauline Hall
2022 – John Burrow
2023 – Ellie Bamber
Congratulations to Becky from everyone at DanceSyndrome!
While we were collecting the Dance Leaders’ nominations for the Christine Doolan award, several parents and carers gave us feedback that Becky’s PA Shirley Carthy should also be recognised in some way for her own kind and compassionate nature.
The Chris Doolan Award is always given to a Dance Leader, but the DanceSyndrome team felt that the wonderful feedback about Shirley needed to be celebrated too, so we presented her with a bouquet of flowers and a card when Becky received her award.
Shirley truly goes above and beyond when supporting Becky to carry out her role for DanceSyndrome. No task is too much to ask and she is always keen to do more. Shirley has an incredibly positive outlook on every situation and her kindness and caring nature extends to the whole team, not just Becky.
We’re so grateful for all that Shirley does and are so glad that she is also part of our dancing family!
