Strictly Inverness dancer's Psychic Night surpasses expectations
A Strictly Inverness dancer's Psychic Night surpassed his own predictions as he participates in the charity dance contest in tribute to his late father.
Stefan Robertson welcomed a quartet of psychics to the city's Chieftain Hotel for an event which attracted more than 90 people and raised more than £700 for the annual event's hosts and organised, Highland Hospice and Inverness Ice Centre.
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The 34-year-old, from Inverness, is taking part in the contest to raise funds in memory of his late father Stuart Robertson, who died when Stefan was just 12 years old.
Stefan is also following in the footsteps of his sister Jade Robertson who came third in last year's Strictly Inverness alongside her dance partner Luke O'Brien.
"She raised an incredible £8000," said the Tesco delivery driver. "Ever since then my family have urged me to take part in this year's show. My personal goal is to hopefully achieve £5000 but if I can pass my sister's total that would be even better – just to annoy her!
"But I love her deeply and I’m very proud of her for what she achieved. Highland Hospice truly does amazing work. Everyone that I have come across from this charity is lovely and very supportive, a reflection of my own personal experience of me and my sister losing our dad to a brain tumour, so I feel like this is a personal journey for me and to make him proud of what we both have achieved and I know there is more to come."
The Psychic Night featured Tommy Goodwin, John Beattie, Mark Jones and Fiona Boyle.
"It went incredibly well, better than I anticipated. I expected to be around 40 people to be there but at one point we were completely at capacity of just over 90. I was overwhelmed but incredibly over the moon for my first main event."
Partnered with Lesley Atrobus, from Moy, they will be learning a paso doble and an American smooth, as well as a team dance with seven other couples who are performing on the Friday evening of the contest in May.
They have a few other fundraising events in the pipeline, including:
- An Elvis tribute act party night, on March 2 at the ice centre.
- Party night with DJ Gary Tuach, on March 23 at the Chieftain Hotel.
- Easter family ice disco, on March 29 at the ice centre.
- Bobby Bee cake event, on April 6 at Eastgate Shopping Centre, Inverness.
- Tipsy tea party, followed by singer, on April 27 at Beaufort Hotel, Inverness.