“The sessions have been a wonderful way for our members to experience something new and innovative, encompassing mindfulness with movement and exercise. I hope there is a way that we could look at these sessions being delivered here again in the future.” Radford Care Group Manager
Description
In the heart of Nottingham, IMPACD C.I.C is weaving a tapestry of joy and connection through the transformative power of accessible and inclusive dance. Imagine a vibrant scene where accessible transport becomes a lifeline, reaching out to the most isolated, housebound, and those grappling with social anxiety and physical conditions.
The Story behind the project
IMPACD C.I.C was founded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously a dance studio providing lessons and rehearsal space, we were forced to close the doors to our dance community for 18 months. Our Founder Director, Amanda, has a social care and dance background. She spent her time during the lockdowns studying how to engage hard-to-reach people in dance, ways to motivate people to attend and retention in community dance activities to improve physical and emotional well-being and build a healthier, creative community.
Amanda completed her studies and decided to design an inclusive and accessible pilot project called “Freedom”, funded by Arts Council England. This project targeted people with lived experience of isolation caused by hate crime and prejudice, adults with lived experience of modern slavery, domestic violence, hate crime due to faith or ability, and LGBTQIA+ people ostracised due to their sexuality or gender. This project successfully connected people, reduced isolation and improved wellbeing. Using informal evaluation and assessment throughout the Freedom project enabled us to develop our delivery further.
The original participants became our steering group. Amanda took their guidance whilst looking at the local community and asking how we can get more people from the deprived areas of Nottingham City into dance and how we can expand and become truly accessible from the point of enquiry and referral to accessing and participation.
Amanda successfully secured a research residency with FABRIC Dance4, where she worked with representatives from underrepresented communities in dance, focusing on Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s’ Dementia, learning disabilities and long-term conditions, combining the experts’ lived experience and her knowledge of learning theories and practices, they developed an Inclusive movement tool named IMP, which we will train others in the use of for improved inclusive practice in dance and participatory arts delivery.
During the residency, she established the C.I.C., welcoming two additional Directors, and together, they fundraised and converted the studio to make the physical and sensory space wheelchair friendly and accessible throughout.
In addition to some smaller grants, additional funding from Arts Council England was secured to deliver daily sessions of dance, music and drumming to hard-to-reach people living in the east area of the city with long-term conditions, illnesses, learning disabilities and mental health to reduce their isolation and loneliness, improve physical and emotional wellbeing, promote independence and confidence to express themselves, to feel valued and heard and lead the direction of the “Freedom to Explore” project”.
The freedom to explore project is now successfully delivered daily; we have expanded through Sport England’s small awards to deliver dance sessions to groups of frail older people, people affected by dementia, and adults with additional and high support needs. We hope to facilitate in hospices, secure units and prisons by spring 2024.
The IMP tool enables mixed age and ability groups to participate together without exclusion, pressures of performance or assessment. Each adult participates at their own pace and in a style that suits them. There are no wrong moves; we encourage a peer-led approach where the dancers choose the music, take inspiration from IMP and consent to interactions.
Our space is a Transfriendly site and a registered safer dance space. We attract a diverse community; our agreed code of conduct and LGBTQIA+ commitment unite people, building understanding and tolerance. We believe being amongst people of varied backgrounds and lived experiences benefits everyone present.
Many great local organisations target specific people, and we wanted to offer an activity for adults regardless of gender, sexuality, faith, gender, age, or ability. We continue to welcome people who have remained isolated since before COVID-19; the social anxiety and health conditions caused by COVID are still very much present. We have several regular participants who lost adult children and partners during the pandemic. The dancing offers escapism and builds self-esteem and motivation to attend and get involved.
We have three Directors, a board of trustees and a steering group of over twenty participants who generously provide feedback, opinions and desires to shape future activities. We have former participants employed in the project and volunteering with us. Our long-term aim is to continue to grow as a hub for the community and secure funds to train future creative leaders from our community to deliver across the County.
“I find the sessions rejuvenating, freeing and destressing – Having done it for six weeks, I’m feeling a significant improvement in my mental health” Participant.
What we are trying to do
Continue facilitating dance sessions delivered in a peer-led, enjoyable style that transcends barriers. Every body type and life experience converge to move to music, creating an inclusive space where smiles, singing, and the magic of friendships unfold. The impact is profound – People feel safe enough to shed tears, but most importantly, they are in an environment steeped in care and understanding.
We are still a very young C.I.C. However, we have decades of experience Directing successful companies. In the current financial climate, local residents can not afford to contribute to their sessions or the accessible transport many require to connect with projects. We are committed to becoming more sustainable by training others around inclusive practice, delivering inclusive, accessible workshops to the corporate and public sectors, and hiring our space to like-minded C.I.Cs requiring inclusive and accessible creative space.
Every Friday, we deliver a session to older people and people living with long-term physical and mental health conditions and illnesses, a mixed ability group ranging in age from 18 to 100+ years; the session is a lifeline and to many of the participants, often the only social activity outside their home. Through outreach, local third-sector organisations, and our ambassadors, we connect housebound and isolated people with the session funded until the end of January 2024.
Ideally, we want to secure this activity and boost it to two days per week with accessible transport and a longer opportunity to socialise and connect dancers with additional support agencies. The East of Nottingham PCN is home to the most deprived residents with very high cases of heart conditions, stroke, COPD, Alcohol-related illness, severe mental illness, depression, and learning disabilities.
We are asking for your support to make it possible to keep this dance opportunity in a safe and accessible space, delivered by knowledgeable, experienced community dance leaders and supportive project staff.
Sessions are fun and filled with joy, laughter and smiles. Friendships are established, peer support is evident, and experiences are shared. Using familiar imagery stimuli, dancers explore what their bodies can do and be expressive and individual safely, thus building confidence and independence. The music and movement relieve pain and boost mood whilst maintaining and improving muscle strength. The social connection is as vital as the activity. There is a real sense of community.
We have a few years of experience delivering this fantastic activity; we would love to boost it to twice weekly so people can get out for much-needed interaction more than once a week as part of a community and have positive experiences. Many of the dancers don’t have family nearby or the budget to attend self-funding activities.
We always welcome donations, but realistically, our dancers face hard decisions daily with the cost of living crisis, especially at this time of year. Our costs exceed £500 per session to hire the space and an appropriate dance leader, collect dancers using an accessible minibus and provide refreshments to a group of twenty or more people in a warm space.
We are currently restricted by the time we can afford to hire the minibus and the number of suitable chairs. Your donation could purchase an additional chair and reassure regular and new dancers that this vital activity is secure for the future. We partner with the fantastic My Journey C.I.C. for transport and local independent artists. In addition to local support agencies who advise on the physiological needs of our dancers, we go beyond meeting their safety, care and belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation needs.
“Found my own rhythm/pace within the music, so much better for having danced.”
Our Team
Our volunteers and ambassadors are a vital part of the IMPACD C.I.C community led by Amanda, our Founder Director, whose ceaseless energy, determination and care are integral to all aspects of our project. The team consists of local community dance leaders and artists with a passion for inclusion and well-being, creative project workers who support our dancers in participating, from booking their place on the transport to calling them on the day to remind them of their session and volunteers who chat with dancers over a cup of tea.
All our team members hold relevant qualifications and are experienced, have enhanced DBS certificates, are PLI insured, supported by us with continual CPD.
Our Policy Director oversees safeguarding, and we work closely with third-sector organisations and charities to provide additional support. The steering committee consists of current and previous participants participating in quarterly roundtable discussions to keep the project current and relevant to the local community. 
“It was like meeting a stranger & quickly learning to share expressive movements, and to trust them, very happy, it was amazing” Participant
Participants
The Nottingham community faces challenges, especially in accessing transport and navigating the financial strain of the current cost of living crisis. Yet, in the past 11 months, we have welcomed over 500 individuals who have found solace and connection in our dance project, with a footfall exceeding 3000.
Our participants vary in age from 18 to 100+ years with a shared experience of isolation or loneliness. Based in the Nottingham East area of Nottingham, local residents live in income-deprived poverty. Many have long-term health conditions preventing them from working or forcing early retirement.
The majority of the people attending our session live with long-term debilitating illnesses and conditions representative of the local area, which has very high levels of Stroke, COPD, Heart disease, severe mental illness, depression, learning disabilities and obesity. Our regular dancers live with diabetes, Parkinson’s, Dementia, Chronic pain, Fibromyalgia, Cerebral Palsy, PTSD and Autism. We welcome refugees and Asylum seekers, new and emerging communities and displaced people.
“I come back here because I can be myself.” Participant ASD Male
Why are we crowdfunding?
We are crowdfunding because we are a niche project, untypical, in that we welcome all adults of mixed abilities and lived experience and are committed to inclusion and accessibility to movement, music and dance. We do not fit in a box; our diversity often means we do not meet funders’ specifications or we have not been established long enough despite two years of accounts.
Therefore, we want to secure a sustainable future through supporters making one-off or regular. Monthly donations would allow us to secure grants requiring match funding, give us the freedom to invest in sustainability and cover core costs, which are vital for securing longer-term grants. The time and support to research sustainable income from local government as well as from delivering our group dance workshops and professional development of inclusive practice in creative activities.
While seeking financial stability, we are grateful for sustainable business advice, sponsorship, and corporate and social responsibility guidance.
“The project goes beyond dance; it’s a lifeline. We’ve witnessed the relief of physical and emotional discomfort and the blossoming of newfound confidence, improved balance, and a profound mental health and strength boost.”
Post Covid, everyone has experienced being isolated and lonely and can empathise with how desperate people feel when their isolation has no foreseeable end. Our project gives our dancers something to look forward to getting out, seeing people, being heard, getting warm, moving and becoming stronger, escaping, expressing, and being creative. Supporting us through Crowdfunder will provide the necessary lifeline for the people most in need of everything that makes us feel valued as part of society; your generosity can make this possible.
“Fabulous, loved the choice of music, danced & danced my troubles away.” Participant
What are you funding?
This is not just a dance; it’s a movement, reducing isolation and loneliness and building bridges between generations, faiths, and emerging communities. We’ve become a beacon of tolerance and understanding. By supporting IMPACD C.I.C, you’re not just contributing but becoming part of a transformative journey. Let’s dance together towards joy, connection, and an understanding-filled community.
To make this possible, first and foremost, after over 400 bottoms dancing in our seats this year, we need to replace our chairs and get a few more. The thirty chairs need to be strong, wipeable, with arms and able to support obese people. You can sponsor a chair for yourself or a loved one, and in appreciation, we’ll name the chair after you and share each sponsored chair on social media.
Accessible transport with regular mental health first aid trained patient and kind drivers.
A safe, warm, accessible dance space. Lashings of tea and a full biscuit tin every day.
Community Dance Leaders, Creative Support Workers, Volunteer expenses
“I found my space in the universe”
“I am now feeling so enthusiastic about life, movement and filled with wellbeing”
What will your donation make possible:
Accessible Transport for physically and socially isolated people
Stronger chairs with arms for dancing in & without to transfer from wheelchairs
A Community Dance Leader with relevant experience and qualifications
Support Workers to help connect people with additional services
Tea & Biscuits
Core costs heating, space hire
Extra funding would support our participants to develop as volunteers and with our support, become qualified creative activity leaders in the community.
This project is so much more than an exercise class; we make dance approachable and accessible for all people regardless of their life experiences. We move together, exploring dance and what our bodies can do. Without judgment or limitations, we immerse ourselves in music and movement, and before we know it, we’ve been dancing for an hour, relieved from stress, warmed up, smiling, happy and ready for a cuppa and chat.
“Very easy to digest and translate instructions & I am hyper sensitive to too much instruction”