Willow Wood did Strictly in sensational style!
Willow Wood did Strictly in sensational style to raise thousands of pounds for the Hospice and wow hundreds at Mossley’s George Lawton Hall on Friday (11th October).
All the glitz and glamour of Strictly Come Dancing was reproduced as nine couples graced the stage to enthrall the audience and impress the judges, including celebrity judge Edwina Currie.
Following a tense ‘dance-off’ it was Cameron Kennedy and his partner Charlotte Cochrane who deservedly danced away with the 2024 Strictly trophy.
Their take on a Tango saw the pair perform some incredible and daring moves to the amazement of the crowd, earning a standing ovation and scoring an amazing 38 out of 40 points from the judges, Edwina giving them a nine out of ten.
There was a close ‘dance-Off’ with hip-hopsters Liz and Vanessa running them a close second, themselves scoring 37 points with an action-packed routine.
But, in Cameron’s own words as he accepted the trophy from host Jane Valentine, ‘Willow Wood was the real winner’, with many thousands of pounds raised for the Hospice on the night.
The couple worked on their routine for around six weeks, trained by last year’s winner and Charlotte’s brother Thomas Cochrane.
“He put us through our paces,” said Cameron, who admitted being very competitive and wanting to win the competition, despite not being a dancer in any way, shape or form and being more used to gracing the am dram stage in numerous acting roles.
Charlotte added: “All I said was it’s for charity so let’s have some fun, but Cameron said ‘no’ we had to win it – and now we have I can’t believe it.”
Both recommended other couples take part next year to support the Hospice, saying it had been ‘brilliant fun’.
“It’s the best experience and I have loved it,” said Charlotte, with Cameron adding: “I don’t dance and I loved every second of it. It’s a great event.”
All the couples taking part had heartfelt reasons to support the Hospice, based in Ashton-under-Lyne, which provides compassionate care to local people with life-limiting illnesses.
Cameron himself has been raising thousands of pounds over the years in memory of his late cousin Emma, who died at the age of 21 in the Hospice back in 2013.
“Everything I’ve done – whether it was the small foundation we set up in her name, the boxing match for Target Ovarian Cancer or the marathon for Cancer Research – has been in her memory to honour her fight against ovarian cancer.
“But Willow Wood holds a very special place in my heart as it’s the one part of Emma’s journey that I hadn’t yet raised funds for, and it’s arguably the most meaningful. It’s a cause that means so much to me,” he said.
Charlotte, meanwhile, was dancing in memory of her grandma who died from cancer earlier in the year.
“I wanted to do this to honour her and make her proud,” she added.
Dancing duo Diane Swallow and Gary Peters also know all about cancer, Diane herself battling back against the disease, stating herself that if treatment had not worked for her, she could well have needed Willow Wood herself.
“Thankfully I’m one of the lucky ones whose treatment was successful, but it really made me appreciate the vital role places like Willow Wood play. I’ve had friends who spent time there and I saw first hand the amazing care they received,” she said.
Long-serving Willow Wood volunteer Eileen Smith has been helping at the Hospice for more than 20 years and stepped out with her dancing partner John Maltby to perform a delightful waltz.
While love was very much in the air for Wendy Mutch and Mick Wheeler, much to the delight of judge Edwina.
A former celebrity contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2011 herself, Edwina said she was especially proud to support the Hospice.
“I have had friends who have been in their care and they do a fantastic job, and they also support the families, who can sometimes get pushed to one side and that support also really matters when someone has passed away.
“If loved ones have been with Willow Wood then you know that they have been comfortable and been able to spend their final days in dignity, and that really matters, it really does.”
She also shared how voting for the couples was also extremely hard, striking the right balance between experienced dancers and non-dancers.
Completing the judging panel alongside Edwina were World Championship hip-hop dancer and Team England athlete Alice-Jane Evans; Latin Steps world champion and dance instructor Aimee Bailey; and Latin Steps dance champion and instructor Sara McGroarty.
Willow Wood Hospice’s Director of Fundraising and Communications Sam Duncan said: “It’s been a huge success and I would like to say a big thank you to all the dancers who were amazing. Every routine was different and it was just lovely and there was lots of variety.”
She also praised the George Lawton Hall venue, thanking the staff who had helped make Willow Wood’s first Strictly competition event there such a memorable one, with some 180 guests attending.
The amount of money made from the event is still being totted up, which will include ticket and programme sales, a wonderful silent auction and raffle, plus money raised by the couples themselves.
There is still time to donate to the couples’ fundraising page at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/willowwooddoesstrictly where you can also find out more details behind each couples’ story to support the Hospice.
