Local police commander dances at ‘Strictly Banbury 2022’ to help raise money for charity.

Area commander for Cherwell and West Oxfordshire, Emma Garside, volunteered her time over six weeks to learn the steps for the charity dance event.

Superintendent Garside, her dancing partner and 15 other couples danced an American Smooth Waltz and Cha Cha to audiences at the Mill Arts Centre in Banbury. All to raise money for Oxfordshire Mind, a mental health charity, and Samuel’s Charity, which supports children in hospital.

The dancing policewoman joined Thames Valley Police in 1996 and has worked in a range of roles across response, neighbourhood and investigations functions.

She said: “I was delighted to support this annual charity event and winning the Saturday night show was the icing on the cake. Dancing helps keep me fit, make new friends and switch off from work.”

Oxfordshire Mind is a branch of the wider mental health charity, Mind, which operates in England and Wales. The charity’s aim is to ensure everybody who needs it can get access to mental health support.

Samuel’s Charity was founded by its namesake, a 9-year-old boy who was fighting cancer and decided he wanted to help other seriously and terminally ill children like him.

The event took place over 8 and 9 April, and the Strictly Banbury Facebook page suggests they raised near to the £20,000 mark.

 

 

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