ENB's Big Give to Dance for Parkinson's

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Every year English National Ballet holds a Big Give to raise funds for its Dance for Parkinson's programme. I mentioned the event last year in English National Ballet's Appeal for Funds for its Parkinson's Classes 14 Dec 2015, which appeared just at the tail end of the fundraising drive.

This year I am on time.   The target is to raise £20,000 for Dance for Parkinson's. This is a programme of high-quality dance classes and activities based on ENB’s repertoire for people living with Parkinson’s. The company explains:

"By giving during the Big Give Christmas Challenge , 29 November – 2 December, your donation will be matched by gifts already pledged to English National Ballet. This means your donation will be worth twice as much."

Here's what contributors need to know:

• "The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2016 takes place on Tuesday 29 November, 12pm – Friday 2 December, 12pm.
• Start the donation process at 12pm on Tuesday 29 November when you will see a clear message to indicate the Challenge has started. If you start the donation process before 12pm and pre-fill the donation form, your donation will not be matched.
• You may donate any amount from £5 to £5,000.
• All major debit and credit cards (including American Express) are accepted.
• If you are a UK tax payer we would be very grateful if you tick the gift aid box so that we also receive the tax paid on your donation.
• Remember: your gift, whatever the size, will make a difference, and we are very grateful whatever you give.
• We will share the link to donate on 29 November."

ENB holds Dance for Parkinson's classes at its studios in London and also in Cardiff, Ipswich, Liverpool and Oxford with local partners.

These are part of a national network of dance classes for persons suffering from Parkinson's disease known as Dane for Parkinson's in the UK. That organization lists classes for sufferers in every part of Great Britain from Cornwall to Scotland.  In Yorkshire, for instance. there is a class in Shelley village hall which is the next village to mine and others in Halifax and Sheffield.

Dance for Parkinson's in the UK is part of a global network that started in the USA in 2001 when a body known as the Brooklyn Parkinson Group started to work with the Mark Morris Dance Group (see "Our History" on the Dance for Parkinson's website). It is the Brooklyn Parkinson Group and the Mark Morris Dance Group's video that appears above. The US national network is Dance for PD. Let's wish all those folks a belated Happy Thanksgiving and a happy Black Friday.