Glitz and glamour raises a huge £65K for local hospice

Dr Kershaw’s Hospice is celebrating after its annual dance competition attended by some of television's biggest names raised a whopping £65,000 - with donations still coming in.

Inspired by the BBC’s hit TV show, Dr Kershaw’s Strictly was a night of fundraising, glitz and glamour. 

The event at the Queen Elizabeth Hall saw over 470 guests watch eight couples battle it out on the dancefloor to win the coveted Glitterball Trophy. 

With a theme of ‘A Night in the Musicals’, the evening included performances to songs from popular stage shows like Mamma Mia!, Moulin Rouge, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Saturday Night Fever. 

The winners were announced as barber Jack Warburton and nursery worker Katie Gough, who wowed the packed crowd with a Jive from The Blues Brothers. 

They were selected after an intense dance-off by a celebrity judging panel that included actors Shobna Gulati and Scott Wright, dance expert Anna Kirkpatrick and A-list makeup artist Armand Beasley. 

The runner-up couple was sales assistant Amanda Cunningham and Oldham Athletic legend Frank Rothwell, who performed a gag-laden Salsa mashup from Jersey Boys. 

Rachel Riley, community and partnerships engagement coordinator at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice in Royton, is also a dance teacher and taught the two highest-scoring couples. 

She said: “Wow, what an incredible evening! We have been absolutely bowled over by the support from the Oldham community. 

“Our amazing dancers worked so hard, practising in their own time to learn their routines. 

“A huge thank you also has to go my fellow dance teachers, who gave our dancers the skills and confidence to perform like true professionals. 

“All of the money raised will go towards supporting our patients and their families. 

“We are so grateful to everyone who bought a ticket or donated, and to our event sponsor, Landlord Furniture Company.” 

Along with the dance competition, guests enjoyed a three-course meal and live entertainment from the West End singer Melanie Marshall and the Jayne Barnes School of Dance. 

Also in attendance was the TV actor John Henshaw, who is known for his roles in Early Doors, Born and Bred and as John Prescott in the ITV drama Confessions of a Diary Secretary. 

Hosted by local author and entrepreneur Ian Taylor, the evening included a live auction. 

During a shock bidding war, one anonymous donor bid £15,500 for a signed Manchester United shirt to match the daily running cost of the hospice. 

All of the dancers individually fundraised, with donations currently topping over £11,600. 

Winner Katie Gough said: “The whole experience was absolutely amazing! It was so much fun to meet so many amazing people all taking part for the same cause. 

“I’ve never been so nervous but getting out in front of everyone and just having the time of our lives dancing was the most incredible feeling. 

“It was never about winning, but it was an honour for Jack and I to be crowned the winners. The most important thing was to raise the incredible funds we did for such an amazing place. 

“I know it will make such a difference to a hospice that has cared for family members and now holds a special place in my heart.”

If you would like to register for Dr Kershaw’s Strictly 2026, visit www.drkh.org.uk/strictly.