Anwyl gives cancer charity's Shrewsbury dance classes a lift
A Shrewsbury housebuilder has stepped up to support a cancer charity with funding towards weekly dance classes.
Anwyl Homes gifted £995 to Lingen Davies Cancer Support, as part of the ‘Love from Anwyl’ Shrewsbury fund. It’s been used to support an eight-week dance programme for people living with and beyond cancer.
Fundraiser Steph Smith said: “Lingen Davies Cancer Support exists to improve the lives of everyone impacted by cancer in our community. In 2024, we launched a
wide range of free to access wellbeing programmes for people living with a cancer diagnosis, including therapeutic horticulture, yoga, tai chi and dance.
“The day-to-day impact of living with a cancer diagnosis can affect a person’s
emotional wellbeing in many significant and debilitating ways. Taking part in an active, creative and social dance class with people going through similar experiences can help alleviate these feelings, helping to focus the mind and body and let go of worrying or stressful thoughts.
“The ‘Love from Anwyl’ grant has funded an eight-week dance programme at Shrewsbury Baptist Church through our local delivery partner ‘I Can Dance Shrewsbury’.”
Participants are introduced to two styles of dance – Bhangra and Charleston - over the course of eight one-hour sessions. The free classes are promoted to
people in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, and Mid Wales living with and beyond cancer, including patients at the Lingen Davies Cancer Centre at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
Phoebe Davies, head of regional marketing for Anwyl Homes, said: “It’s our pleasure to support Lingen Davies’ Shrewsbury dance classes. The charity is doing amazing work supporting the emotional and mental wellbeing of people living with cancer in our community. It was wonderful to hear that participants leave these sessions in a more revitalised and motivated mindset.”
Anwyl’s donation was from the £5,000 Love from Anwyl Shrewsbury fund, which has so far been shared between five local groups including Shrewsbury Cricket Club, Woodfield & St George's Parent, Teacher and Friends Association and Attingham Park.
Love From Anwyl is a voluntary scheme attached to the 106 new homes being built by Anwyl at Five Oaks, off Gains Park Way in Bicton Heath.
It’s in addition to community contributions Anwyl agreed to during the planning process, including around £613,000 towards local schools and roads as part of the Community Infrastructure Levy payment, and almost £790,000 towards the delivery of the North West Relief Road, a key strategic piece of infrastructure for Shropshire.
Further details about the Lingen Davies Cancer Support Wellbeing Programme can be found at lingendavies.co.uk/cancer-hub/wellbeing-programme.
