My Story
On the evening of Thu 9 October I will be stepping out on to the dancefloor in the Indigo at The O2 in London for Stand Up To Cancer. I am taking part in an annual (or sometimes bi-annual) challenge that Cancer Research UK staff can volunteer for: to get 8-9 sessions with a professional dance instructor and then put on our glad-rags and perform to a live audience ... and get judged on our efforts too! My extrovert nature – doing media interviews for Cancer Research UK, or knocking on strangers’ doors when out political campaigning – tends to wilt when it comes to the spotlight shining on my dancing. Unlike my son, I usually take a fair bit of persuasion to get on the dancefloor. I don't have natural rhythm or an ear for music, and my signature dance moves are very definitely in the ‘dad dancing’ category. However, I wanted to do something to take myself out of my comfort zone, and be a way of showing myself that my brain can learn new things. I also wanted to seize the opportunity to more proactively play my part in Stand Up To Cancer 2025, after having worked very closely with the team on pitching ideas for the forthcoming live show, and feeling invested in making a success of the fundraising efforts.
