On Friday Sara visited DanceSyndrome in Accrington.
After winning the Charity Champion Award and receiving a £300,000 investment over the next three years from the Government as part of the Levelling Up agenda, Sara was invited to the DanceSyndrome base at Waterside in Accrington to discuss the awards & recent investment.
Established in 2009, DanceSyndrome was the inspiration of founder and Creative Director, Jen Blackwell, who has Down’s syndrome, and wanted to follow her dream of being a dancer and dance leader. The organisation strives to provide new and exciting opportunities for people who may otherwise be excluded from mainstream dance.
DanceSyndrome’s Founders were announced as the winners of a national business award at the high-profile Best Businesswoman Awards ceremony in London last year. In November last year they were confirmed as one of the recipients of the Government’s Levelling Up For Culture investment, which aims to drive growth in arts and culture outside London.
Speaking after the visit, Sara Britcliffe MP said:
It was inspirational to see the work that DanceSyndrome do and all that they achieve.
I can tell from meeting the team how committed they all are to provide an inclusive service to local people which really enfranchises them, where they otherwise might not have the opportunity.
To have this kind of provision in Hyndburn demonstrates the creative spirit and drive of people like Jen and her team. I can see why they have won awards and received substantial investment from the Government. I am going to keep working with DanceSyndrome and hope to bring their dancing down to Westminster, to show our politicians the talent we have in Hyndburn & Haslingden.
