Strictly Inverness 2024 diary: No pain, no gain - waxing challenge adds to fundraising for Highland Hospice and Inverness Ice Centre
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If you have heard mysterious screams of pain in the last hour or so, don’t be alarmed.
Those noises - and possibly other unrepeatable sounds - were probably emanating from The Therapy Suite in Church Street.
My last fundraising event for Strictly Inverness organisers and hosts Highland Hospice and Inverness Ice Centre started at the city beauty salon at around 5.30pm.
• Click here if you would like to make a general donation
• PICTUTRES: Poignant Alness dance event hauls in £15k for charity
• Descendant of King Henry III prepares to take to Strictly Inverness dance floor
Prior to the appointment I was told it would take about an hour to wax my entire body (within reason)… but I’ve been told a lot of things centring on this challenge.
The professionals have advised me on how to prepare for this, including taking painkillers. However, several ‘friends’ who have been waxed before have advised against it. In a bid to be ‘helpful’ they’ve shared all manner of horror stories but I’m sceptical as to whether they have been exaggerating. Time will tell and you’ll hear all about it in next week’s diary - unless you hear any sounds of pain first!
Whatever happens, I’m grateful to The Therapy Suite and all connected with the event for helping make it happen.
All of us amateur dancers will be forever thankful to anyone who has put their hand in their pocket and supported us while we’ve been learning to dance.
The fundraising is an important element of the annual competition because each dance couple is rewarded points in the semi-final based on their partnership's combined total.
Those are added to points earned via the individual dances – for me and dance partner Ruth Mason, we have a rumba and a samba to master. We are also learning a group dance as part of the run of shows next month.
This week is our last chance to add to our tallies for the charities. I’m grateful to The Therapy Suite, Bikes of Inverness, the Forge Gym in Inverness and MKM Building Supplies in Aviemore for displaying posters for the Strictly Raffle and selling tickets (£1 each) on my behalf to anyone interested. I’ll be visiting them all soon to collect any donations.
And there’s also the hospice spring auction. I was blessed to receive a donation of a two-night stay at a five-bedroom mini manor at Achnagairn Estate, which sleeps 10 people. Please have a look at lot #38 and leave a bid if you wish. There are plenty more lots connected with fellow dancers so it’s worth a wee browse while you’re there, with bidding closing at 10pm tomorrow.
Once the fundraising portion of our challenge is done, we can focus on the dancing.
This last week has been a little different after I spent a couple of days away in London for the Regional Press Awards.
This upcoming week will also be different because I’m on annual leave and have extra training sessions with Ruth lined up on the majority of those days.
I’m hopeful these sessions will help us continue to make improvements because we’d love to reach the grand final. It’ll take a lot to get there though because I know all the other dance duos have the same ambition.
As we get nearer to showtime, we’re finding out more about what that period will be like with rehearsal schedules, tanning slots, hair and make-up timetables (not including me) and the running order for the semi-final dances. It’s all very exciting.
It has been so uplifting to receive everyone’s encouragement and support, which I'm sure other dancers would echo and as a group, with the last few weeks of fundraising remaining, we’ve collectively raised more than £176,500 - which is absolutely incredible.
All the fundraising activities coming up that I'm aware of are here:
• For Louise Mainland: Dance-a-thon, April 21, Boat of Garten Community Hall
• For Rachel Wood: Night of whisky and music, April 23, The Malt Room, Inverness
• For Craig Watson: Quiz, April 27, Farr Hall, Inverarnie
• For Robert Ince: Tipsy tea party, April 27, Dingwall Legion Hall
• For Stefan Robertson: Big finale fundraiser race night, April 27, Beaufort Hotel, Inverness
Click here if you would like to make a donation.
