The ‘Strictly’ style competition took place at Nunsmere Hall in Tarporley.  Prior to the event, each amateur dancer was paired with a professional dancer from Cadmans Dance Centre, Sale. They had a series of lessons in the run up to the big night, so they were ready to dazzle the audience with jazz hands and salsa steps.

Laura Appleton (Trainee Manager at Chisholm Hunter Diamond Merchants) was crowned the winner with Steph Houghton (Social Media Director, real5 Digital) voted as runner up.  Chris Forster (Branch Manager, Major Recruitment & Owner, Chris Forster Events) was awarded top fundraiser for raising an incredible £41,000 for the hospice over the years.

Also dancing the night away was Emily Blight (Building Surveyor, LC Building Consultants), Christine Brett Rowles (Retired CEO, Voluntary Sector), Lee Houghton (Team Leader, Cadent Gas), Duncan Thorpe (Owner, Prestige Connections) and Steve Park (Director of Growth, Warrington Borough Council).

 Charlotte (Senior Events Manager, St Rocco’s Hospice) said, ‘Strictly St Rocco’s is our biggest event of the year, and we love seeing how committed our dancers are.  This year we have raised over £70,000 which is incredible.  This money will help fund patient care at our hospice and will help us look after anyone in our Warrington community who is facing a life-limiting diagnosis.  We would like to thank every single person who has made this event a success.’

 Thanks are extended to everyone involved including headline sponsor of the event, Ingevity; Drinks’ sponsor, Greenall’s; Cadmans Dance Centre for training and supporting the amateur dancers; Corporate table sponsors Zachary Daniels, The Hive, Cadent, Urban Building Projects, FCH Architects and BT Skips & Excavation Contracting; Guest judges Andy Hawley, Elle Magee, Victoria Millward and Russ Scanlon; and hosts Ian Lawson and Hayley Jones with guest speaker Kate Stephens.

 Further thanks go to DJ David from DMC Media, our volunteer photographers on the night Brian Touhey, and Phil and Tony from Moore Photography Club, the Make Up Coach Rayner for dancers’ hair and makeup and Sun Centre World for their spray tans.  Thank you to everyone who donated prizes for the raffle, including Greenhall’s, The Village Hotel and Electrovision and thanks to Natwest Bank for their support with event preparations.

 Final thanks are offered to the eight contestants who have worked so hard and shown exceptional support and commitment to St. Rocco’s Hospice and made the night ‘Strictly’ wonderful!