Dance charity taking over Manchester Oxford Road Station

"When we talk to our Dance Leaders about what is important to them, they often say that they want to be accepted in society & have their voices heard"

Manchester Oxford Road Train Station will be taken over by local charity DanceSyndrome on Saturday 26th March to celebrate the national Down's Syndrome Awareness Week campaign.

DanceSyndrome is a multi-award-winning dance charity that was founded by Jen Blackwell, who happens to have Down's syndrome. The charity was formed because Jen found it difficult to find opportunities in community dance that were accessible to people with learning disabilities. DanceSyndrome's ethos is that disability should never be a barrier to following your dreams. All DanceSyndrome sessions are disability led, with people with learning disabilities taking visible Dance Leader roles to inspire people to see what can be achieved when we all become more inclusive.

Oxford Road is the busiest station of all four stations that serve Manchester city centre and it was opened in 1849. Undergoing many redesigns through the years, today its 5 platforms see more than 9 million passengers annually.

As part of the station takeover, DanceSyndrome's Dance Leaders who have Down's Syndrome and other Learning Disabilities, will be leading dance routines for people using the station to watch and join in with. They will be also giving inspiring speeches to members of the public to talk about their work and what they are achieving in their careers. They hope to inspire people to see that having a learning disability doesn't have to be a barrier to living a successful and fulfilled life.

DanceSyndrome Managing Director Julie Nicholson said "The national Down's Syndrome Awareness campaign this year is about what inclusion means to people with learning disabilities. When we talk to our Dance Leaders about what is important to them, they often say that they want to be accepted in society and have their voices heard. We're really grateful that Northern have given us this platform (pun intended!) to be seen and heard by the people of Manchester! Please come and join us and show your support."

Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern said: “We are excited to be a part of such a fantastic event and are encouraging anyone at Manchester Oxford Road on Saturday to get join in the dance routines.

“Our community partners are the heartbeat of the railway and we’re extremely proud to be working closely with DanceSyndrome for this event.”

If you would like to join in with the dance activities, you can join DanceSyndrome's team at Manchester Oxford Road Train Station as they take over the station from 10:30am to 1pm on Saturday 26th March.