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Strictly Inverness 2024 diary: Forming friendships


By Andrew Dixon

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Ruth Mason and Andy Dixon.
Ruth Mason and Andy Dixon.

The wee break for everyone involved in Strictly Inverness 2024 prior to gathering again next month has been a great opportunity to get to know our dance partners.

After meeting at the start of December as strangers, this has been an important period for meeting each other’s family and becoming more comfortable together.

My dance partner is amused by being paired with a journalist, given she’s a retired police officer.

Ruth Mason was in the force for 30 years and is involved in the annual charity dance contest as a tribute to her husband Stuart, who died earlier this year after having cancer.

Some of my family and colleagues also believe the 54-year-old will keep me in check, given her experience!

Andy Dixon and Ruth Mason.
Andy Dixon and Ruth Mason.

But getting to know Ruth has been the biggest joy of the process so far, and I’m grateful for that. She even arrived at our door this morning with a bag full of Christmas gifts!

Meeting new people and forming friendships was one of the main reasons I signed up for the 13th edition of this popular event.

Once we start learning to dance alongside some of the other 15 pairings, we’ll have the opportunity to create more bonds, which I’m sure will be lasting.

They will be the type of connections only made by going through a shared experience – and that’s why others should consider taking part in future.

We’ll also all share goals of learning to dance, putting on our best performances at showtime while raising money for event organisers and hosts Highland Hospice and Inverness Ice Centre along the way.


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