Charity is an important thing to me because it gives me the opportunity to do something good for other people. As a business I like to try and support charities because I am a great believer in "what goes around comes around", and so I'm paying it forward. In the past I ran an event for the sole purpose of raising funds (details below).

Admittedly, the charity I tend to focus on is Just Because, because it was set up many years ago to help a belly dance friend who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time, and as a result of our friend receiving this diagnosis, it was highlighted that many women living in Egypt are not as fortunate, never even finding out that they had this disease, let alone receive treatment for it.

Thankfully, things have changed for the better as a result of this charity being set up, and every hafla I raise money for it.

However, I am not adverse to supporting other charities,

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I am going to be hosting a new charity event this coming September, this time on behalf of MacMillan Cancer Research. I have been contemplating joining the many hundreds and thousands of people supporting this charity for a while now, but have finally decided to bite the bullet.

Sadly, because the annual MacMillan Coffee Mornings always take place on a Friday which is not the best day for me, I am holding my event the day after, on the Saturday.

I would really like this  to be a relaxing event; socialising, meeting up with friends new and old, of coming together to socialise. Come and perform a short number, or just come along to watch and support.

I am still in the process of finalising the running of the day, but tickets are now available to buy using the button below.
Here is a list of some ideas that I have had:

  • Open Performance Platform - ALL styles of dance welcome, but please bear in mind we might have the general public in
  • Bring & Buy Sale - used items only. Space is limited but if you are interested in having a stall, please get in touch
  • Raffle - there will be one - I'm still working on ideas for this
  • Refreshments - Each ticket will receivce one free tea/coffee or soft drink.
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Details:

Saturday 27th September

1..30pm - 5pm

The Stanley Club, 1 Liverpool Old Road, Burscough, L40 5TN

Tickets: £5 (although further donations will be gratefully received)

(Please note: ticket prices are to help cover the room cost, but beyond that will go direct to MacMillan)



Raffle Prizes Received so far:

  • 2 tickets to the Preston Symphony's Concert at Preston Arts Festival featuring muisic from film ans musicals




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  • A gift voucher from Tootsies Ice Cream Parlour, Longton, for EITHER a Mr Toots ice cream sundae OR £5 off






Buy Tickets here:

Belly Dance and Cake Charity Event on behalf of MacMillan
£
5.00    
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Other Events


Fundraising for Brain Tumour Reseasrch UK Clatterbridge Cancer Centre:

The event took place in Southport, at the Bijou Cinema.

About this event (from the organisers)

We have decided to raise money for two amazing charities in memory of Kevin Richard Fellows on the 30th Anniversary of his passing from a brain tumour. Kevin was a fit and healthy young man of 31 when he was first diagnosed having shown no symptoms. Clatterbridge Hospital were amazing in all that they did for him. Unfortunately he lost his battle with cancer in 1994 when our daughter Elaine was just 17 months old.

Brain Tumour Research tells me that:-
  • 1 in 3 people know someone affected by a brain tumour
  • Every 2 hours, someone is diagnosed with a brain tumour in England
  • Only 12% of brain tumour patients survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers
  • There are over 120 different types of brain tumour
  • The direct cause of a brain tumour is still not clear, so more investment in research is urgently needed


These statistics are unbelieveable, however every £2,740 raised will sponsor 1 day of research.
Lets help them continue this vital research for more than 1 day!
Come and join us for some laughs, memories, magic and the satifaction of knowing we are all doing our bit. On the night we will tell you much more about the work of the two charities, about Kevin and our family and hopefully raise a lot of money.

You may be wondering where my link to the charity is. Well, one of my students is friends with the organisers and she asked if I would be interested in performing for them. So here I am :-)



Sequins On My balcony


Although the event which starred Yvette was many years ago now, and Yvette lost her battle with cancer in 2017,  I am leaving this write up about her event, and about her, on this page as my tribute.
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"In 2015 my friend and colleague Anne Kingston and I organized an event which brought Yvette Cowles to the North West with her wonderful one woman show Sequins On My Balcony all about her experiences with life, cancer and belly dance. The hope was that we would raise funds for a charity close to our hearts Just Because, a charity originally created to help a dance friend in need but which developed into helping the women in Egypt who suffer from breast cancer. The evening combined local dance talent with this fantastic show. We also held a raffle that night which consisted of over 40 (yes 40!!!) different prizes all of which had been donated by local businesses. Despite months of working, trudging the streets trying to get raffle prizes, stressing over ticket sales, worrying about not covering costs, taking raffle tickets everywhere we went in the hopes of selling some (the list goes on), I can say without a shadow of doubt that the event was a HUGE success. We managed to raise an incredible £550 for Just Because through ticket sales, raffle ticket sales and donations. The show was a massive success too, and I later discovered that this was one of the last outings that the show had. Sadly Yvette is hanging up Dick Rogers for new pastures. However, knowing Yvette she will have something just as fabulous on the way.

Enjoy the slideshow below of our Sequins On My Balcony event.



I do still hold raffles at my haflas which occur twice a year, and I have even introduced a new charity to my list: Welcome St Georges