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Red Nose Day Danceathon

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Team Honk for Comic Relief Red Nose Day

Team Honk for Comic Relief Red Nose Day

This Sunday I’m taking part in the six-hour Red Nose Day Danceathon to raise money for Comic Relief. The event is at Wembley Arena in London and will be hosted by Claudia Winkelman. I’ll be with Team Honk – a group of around 100 bloggers and their friends and relations led by the marvellous Annie of Mammasauraus, Tanya of Mummy Barrow and Penny of A Residence.

Apparently we’ll be dancing in a different style every half an hour: from ‘50s jive and ‘60s swing to ‘70s disco, ‘80s anthems, street dance, hip hop, Bollywood and West End musicals. I anticipate that anyone watching me won’t be able to tell which kind of dance I’m doing but hey-ho, I’ll try my best. In preparation I’ve been going swimming more often and trying to stand up rather than sit down while I’m working.

There are going to be various celebrities at the danceathon but I probably won’t recognise any of them unless they’ve appeared in Breaking Bad, The Wire, Lord of the Rings or a children’s film. Although I do know who Claudia Winkelman is.

I don’t usually take part in sponsored events – the last time I did so was for Team Honk’s blogger relay for Comic Relief last year – because I really hate asking people for money. But I felt that I couldn’t not sign up for this because I’m able-bodied and should manage to dance for six hours, I live near London and can easily get to Wembley, I’m free on Sunday and because it’s for Comic Relief.

I couldn’t not sign up because I know that the money raised will be put to good use by Comic Relief to help vulnerable people in the UK, in Africa and elsewhere. It will help groups like the Trussell Trust to give emergency food to people who are in crisis in the UK. It will help UK charities such as The Fostering Network to support fostered children and their carers. It will help international charities such as ChildHope in their work with street children in India and elsewhere. And so I’m happy to spend my Sunday dancing badly and failing to recognise celebrities. And by taking part and asking my friends and family (and Marco Polo Guides, see below) to sponsor me I have so far raised £345.

How to follow the danceathon live

If you’d like to see what’s happening at the danceathon on Sunday you can follow @Team_Honk #teamhonk and #danceathon on social media. You can also watch the event live on the BBC Red Button from midday – as long as you know what the Red Button is and how to use it. (Not sure that we have one in our house.)

How to sponsor me

Marco Polo Guides have very kindly sponsored me £150 and I’ll be wearing one of their T-shirts (with other clothes too, and trainers) while I’m dancing. Thank you very much to Marco Polo (I’m giving away some of their new Spiral Guide books here) and to my friends and family who have already sponsored me.

If you’d like to sponsor me too you can do so via my Red Nose Day Giving page.

Thank you!

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

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Comments

  16. Kate Thompson says

    Comic Relief seems to be passing by unnoticed here – none of the kids’ schools are doing anything at all for it. The twins’ school did have a fun day recently raising money for the local SEN school though – nice to focus on local charities for a change I think. Good luck with your challenge!
    Kate Thompson recently posted…Not another dress-up day…My Profile

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  18. Erica Price says

    Well done you – I hate taking part in sponsored things too, don’t like the fundraising. I did take part last year in Team Honk though, but we can’t this year.
    Erica Price recently posted…Jam ArtMy Profile

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  19. Iz says

    Go mumma!!!! You’re mad for wanting to dance for that long but very proud of you, I’ll be waiting at home with the blister plasters x

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This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.