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Divine Days Awards Evening 2024
On Thursday 12th of December, we hosted our 2nd annual Celebration Awards. It was spectacular! Briar’s Hall was packed full of people from across West Lancashire, who make a difference in the community, breaking down barriers for people who are vulnerable or face additional barriers to inclusion.
The excitement and fabulous atmosphere was enhanced by the delicious buffet, a raffle full of high value prizes, and music and entertainment, provided by Might Radio’s Trevor Ford and the talented dancers at Divine Inspiration, along with special guests, The Deputy Mayoress of West Lancashire, Cllr Anne Fennell, and Liverpool Football Club legend Alan Kennedy, who posed for photographs and signed an LFC shirt for an intense, fast paced auction, all raising funds for Divine Days Community CIC.
Anticipation grew as the winners of the 8 awards were announced – all voted for by you, our community. Huge congratulations to each of the winners of the Divine Days Celebration Awards 2024:
Inclusive Skills Champion: Tony Quane
Mental Health and Wellbeing Champion: Cameron Latham
Commitment to Inclusive Education: Rachel Beevers
Going the Extra Mile Award: Bev Roberts
Inspiring Change Award: Jaqueline Davies
Special Recognition Award: Mark Ashton
Shining Star Award: Jessica McDonald
Judges Category: Christine Rooney
With well over 2000 votes and so many inspiring comments made about each of the nominees and finalists, we want to thank you all for engaging with the voting, supporting or attending the awards, and for all of the amazing work happening in the community – to each of you, who are leading positive change, or going over and above.
With thanks to, to our special guests Alan Kennedy and Deputy Mayoress of West Lancashire, Counsellor Anne Fennell; our fabulous Divine Inspiration for their wonderful performances; Brair’s Hall Hotel for hosting us; and to everybody who supported, donating gifts and time. We are beyond grateful for each and every one of you. See you next year!
Divine Days Shortlist is Live
Divine Days are excited to say that the shortlist for the Awards Evening is now live. We are very thankful for everyone who had nominated somebody for one of our 7 nomination based awards, everybody has been so lovely in their thoughts and reasoning. Now it is back to you to decide who are your winners.
We hope to see you on the night, This years event is not limited to black tie, you will be more than happy with the selection on the buffet and the live performance done by our very own dancers before it is back to you to join us on the dance floor with our very own DJ. Time is running out so don’t risk it, buy your ticket at the link below.
Inspiration Winter Show 2024
What a weekend! The amazing Divine Inspiration have yet again left audiences speechless at the Inspiration Winter Show 2024! From our youngest to our oldest dancers, every single person went on stage and performed with their heart, creating an atmosphere so strong that you could feel their passion from the back row of the theatre. In an exemplary display of teamwork, self-expression and confidence, Divine Inspiration were met with cheers – and tears – from every audience across all four shows that they performed in.
One parent exclaimed “I’m so proud of every single dancer in the group, that is the best I think I’ve ever seen them perform. They shine on stage, and you can tell that they just love it.”
Whilst another parent noted “I love how inclusive it is, the dancers and support dancers move as one big team. There is no separation or exclusivity, they just work together, and it works perfectly!”
As a team we are so proud of our dancers, having seen some big personal and dance related achievements over the weekend, and we are honoured to be a part of this journey with them.
Written by Lu Woodfinden
Co-Op Funding 2024/25
Exciting news! We have been selected as a Co-op Local Cause, meaning every time you shop in Co-op, they will donate money to us – you just need to make sure you swipe your membership card!
- Click on this button below ↓ ↓
- Sign in (or sign up for just £1) which in turn will save you money on your shop!
- Type local causes in the search part at the top of the site
- Change the distance from me tab (scroll down) to 15 miles (default is 5 miles)
- Scroll to see Divine Days and choose this cause
For every £1 you spend at Co-op Divine Days receives a percentage, then if you buy Co-op own brands, this amount is doubled in shops that are based all over West Lancs, and with shops in Aughton, Ormskirk, Tarleton, Skelmersdale, Parbold, UpHolland and Rainford, there is always a shop that is near you!
Please take a moment to sign up or use your card when you shop. You save money, whilst also supporting children and families in your community! Thank you ♥
Voting has now begun
Divine Days Awards Evening has come back and with more agency in voting who will be this years nominees. Finalists will now consist of the top three most popular nominees of each category. Below you can place your vote to show your support to somebody who breaks down barriers in a multitude of different ways whether that be by physically providing opportunities, showing championship in mental health or being a shining example of dedicating yourself to going above and beyond for people in our community who are vulnerable.
This years event includes a Buffet at the Briars Hall in Ormskirk, A wonderful night of celebrating achievement in the community and then dancing with our very own DJ. Tickets are on sale so get yours today.
Man-Archy Launches Tuesday Sessions
As of Tuesday the 29th of October, Man-Archy has opened a Tuesday session. This session aims to give men a sense of community when it comes to their mental health. Isolation and loneliness can be a large factor in poor mental health and can also cause other problems. This group is open at the Vestry, St Thomast the Matyr Church, Upholland Skelmersdale where entrance can be found through the back door.
Sessions are on from 1:30 til 3:00 every tuesday. Open to all men regardless of circumstances and faiths. We provide free tea, coffee and chats amongst welcoming individuals.
The first session we hosted 3 individuals. Man-Archy’s founder Richard Whitehead states that “To talk in a judgement free space amongst themselves really helped to ease themselves about the conversations of mental health”.
Pirates have come back
This weekend saw some of our wonderful Divine Inspiration dancers take the trip to dance on the professional stage at Pirates, Mallorca with Inspiration School of Dance, and suffice to say it went down a treat! All the hard work and commitment from the dancers paid off, as they danced beautifully on stage, leaving no dry eye in the audience. Whether they were watching in person or online, everyone who witnessed this dance was in awe of the genuine gift our dancers had, not only in their performance, but in their care for each other. Everyone worked as a team, which was a big part of what made this performance so special.
Poppy, one of our wonderful dancers, exclaimed how she had a great time. “It was fabulous, I absolutely loved Mallorca ” she commented, excited at how she had the chance to perform on a famous stage! “I had an amazing experience, it made me feel super happy! I love being with all the girls, it’s so much fun!”. We are delighted to hear that this opportunity was so special for our dancers.
It wasn’t all work for our dancers though, as along with their performance they also had free time to enjoy splashing around in the pool, challenging each other in fun games, and enjoying the Spanish sunshine. Overall, a much-needed break was had by all. After a busy and successful first half term, everybody is ready to put their best foot forward as rehearsals ramp up for the Inspiration Winter Show.
Pirates of Mallorca
This week, some of our wonderful Divine Inspiration dancers are embarking on a trip abroad, to tread the boards of the professional stage at Pirates, Mallorca!
This is a project the dancers have been working hard on since June, and with rehearsals – and excitement – building up as the long-awaited travel date approaches, the children are ecstatic. During their stay, they will debut Wish, a beautiful new lyrical piece they have been developing, which pushes our dancers to explore more complex movements and facial expressions to convey emotion, along with embracing the individuality of each performer with solo moments. Our dancers have stayed committed throughout the rehearsal process, dancing their way through both early and long Sunday sessions, all with a smile.
This opportunity offers such a valuable experience for the dancers, to grow confidence in their abilities, engage with dance professionals, and push themselves to develop new skills. We know their dedication and preparation will serve them well on the Pirates stage in Mallorca, and we can’t wait to hear all about their success when they return!
Widnes Competition 2024
On Sunday 6th October, our wonderful Divine Inspiration junior dancers attended a dance competition in Widnes, to perform their new group piece Giants.
The dancers’ performances were mesmerising, full of energy, emotion and commitment, which led to them winning the under 16’s category! What an amazing achievement, particularly considering our youngest dancers are still in primary school and were competing with teenage dancers. Not only did they win their category, but they also went on to win the overall highest score of all 12 groups competing that day, with a glowing 73/80 points!
Lu, ‘Divine Dance Practitioner’, was so proud of their performance and afterwards said “the parents and audience were clearly delighted with the performance, and the children had a wonderful experience. The courage from them, to overcome their individual barriers which they faced that day and still perform with a smile, was so inspiring and heartwarming, and is exactly why I love this job.”
Denise, ‘Divine Dance Co-ordinator’ said: ‘we are so proud of the hard work and dedication the dancers have shown, week after week, working hard to perfect this piece. It has been a real group effort, and we are so grateful to our lovely support dancers, the parents, and everybody cheering them on from the audience.”
The barriers that Divine Dance dancers overcome, with such determination is such a testament to themselves and their family. Congratulations to every one of you. We think you are amazing!
To find out more about our Divine Dance and Creative Kids classes for SEND children, young people and adults, by following this link: divinedays.co.uk/divine-dance-info/
Success at the NYDC
Over the summer, Joe – one of our wonderful Divine dancers – rehearsed and performed with the National Youth Dance Company at their residential intensive. He successfully auditioned for this first in Blackpool as part of their Capital of Dance Festival, and subsequently was recalled to a second audition in London after which he was invited to work with the NYDC. After working with Joe, they have asked that he keeps in touch and auditions next year for their tour.
Joe said he had a fantastic time, made new friends and learned new skills. He’s looking forward to keeping in touch with the NYDC and hoping to
audition again next year.
Summer HAF 2024 Has Begun
Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund
UClan Event
We’ve already had wonderful feedback from the faculty, commenting how: “we were blown away with the performances and people were talking about both dances for some time after. It really was the highlight of what was overall a really good day highlighting a range of issues, but more importantly celebrating the talents and capability of disabled people.”
We are so proud of you all! Thank you for being amazing!
HR Forum Event
Richard added, “it was great to have the platform to be able to offer employers advice around what they can do to encourage a more diverse workforce, and the huge benefits that come with doing that.”
Thank you East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce for inviting us to be a part of your event and well done to everybody involved
Divine Inspiration Winter Showcase
Words can not describe how beautiful, exhilarating, inspiring and mesmerising, the Divine Inspiration performances were at the weekend! We wanted to share just a few of the fabulous moments. Our dancers worked so hard, their timings and finishes were incredible and they loved every moment, almost as much as we did! Thank you to all of our amazing dancers, parents, the Divine Dance team and of course INSPIRATION HAGAN SCHOOL OF DANCE for helping us to break down barriers and demonstrate what can be achieved with hard work, belief, passion and opportunity!
Man-Archy - Wonderful Achievements
Men’s Mental Health provision, Man-archy – has recently reached over 100 Men in crisis who have been supported by our service. Just last week we celebrated a further 2 men who have secured employment. Much more than about the job itself, these 2 men have gone from feeling like there is no way forward, to now being active in their community and society, gaining financial independence and planning for a future. We are proud and humbled to be a part of that journey.
Divine Days Awards Evening - 2023
The big day finally arrived! On the 23rd of November 2023, we were delighted to be hosting our first ever Divine Days Celebration Awards evening, honouring individuals and organisations across Lancashire, who have demonstrated their commitment to accessibility and reducing barriers for, around the area to ensure that they knew that the community appreciated their work with people who have disabilities, complex needs, special educational/additional needs or neurodivergent.
Votes had been pouring in for months for winners of the 7 categories, and the scene was finally set at The Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel. The evening began with festive drinks and light entertainment by the fabulous David Burgess Magician. This was followed by a wonderful and heart-warming performance from the fabulously talented Divine Dancers. As guests enjoyed the delicious 4-course dinner, excitement for the awards announcement gathered. Divine Days Managing Director Katie Whitehead had the honour of handing over each award to the worthy winner, topped off with the Shining Star Award, which celebrates a child or young person in the community who have overcome challenge and despite those challenges, is an inspiration for others. The winner Jess McDonald was delighted and won her category by a landslide!
When asked about how she felt about her hosting her first awards evening, Katie Whitehead said ‘I feel so blessed! Committing to such an event is a huge gamble but was something we really wanted to do, to celebrate those who really deserve to be celebrated, for all their hard work and dedication. Nobody does this work to get rich, it’s all because we are passionate about it and often due to our own lived experience, want to make a difference to the lives of others. I’m so grateful that all the organisations got involved and celebrate every winner, runner-up and anybody else who is working every day to make a positive difference to the lives of the most vulnerable in our community’.
Congratulations to all of our winners from this evening. You were all stunning
Pearson's Award - A Trip To London
Oh what a night! Hosted by the lovely and talented Gaby Roslin we had the privilege of attending the prestigious Pearsons Awards Dinner in London, with our colleagues from Delphside Primary School, to celebrate our Silver Award win for Impact Through Partnership. We were honoured and proud to be able to stand amongst such amazing and talented education staff and teams from all over the country, and thoroughly enjoyed the celebration. Who knows, next year maybe gold!
Pearson's National Education Award - Impact Through Partnership! Silver Award
21 June 2023: The team from The Legacy Project at Divine Days Community CIC have been selected from thousands of nominations to win a Pearson National Teaching Silver Award. We were honoured with a Silver Award for Impact Through Partnership for our outstanding commitment to changing the lives of the young people they work with every day. The Legacy Project is our supported internship programme for young adults with additional needs, learning disabilities and/ or physical disabilities, who are living and learning in Skelmersdale and surrounding areas. The project works collaboratively with the community, business partners and the local college, and is founded on the core principles of empowering and enabling, to promote cohesion and a workforce of young people who are supported to make a valued contribution to their society. Delphside Primary School are a proud business partner of Divine Days Community CIC, collaborating to provide several workplace internship placements for The Legacy Project’s young people, and nominating us for this prestigious award. The Legacy Project has now been shortlisted to win one of just 16 Gold Awards, which will be announced and celebrated at a gala ceremony in London on 25 November and televised on the BBC, with winners showcased on The One Show. The honours have been announced on National Thank a Teacher Day, an annual event celebrating the role of educators across the UK for the valued role they play in communities and shaping young people. This year, students were joined by celebrities including Sir Michael Morpurgo, Edith Bowman, Bobby Seagull, Ore Oduba and Nadiya Hussain to mark their teachers’ achievements.
The Pearson National Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of excellence in education run by the Teaching Awards Trust, an independent charity now in its 25th year, that recognises the life-changing work that takes place in education, highlighting the vital role educators play and the work that’s delivered in schools, colleges and other education providers every day.
Katie Whitehead, Managing Director of Divine Days Community CIC says: “We are so humbled by the Award of the Silver Pearson Teaching award. Our work with Delphside Primary School has given us a great platform to showcase our interns with additional needs in a workplace and see them thrive. Our team of job coaches work tirelessly to ensure both the student and placement location is a place where everyone can thrive.
The nurtuting nature of Delphside school has ensured that the best of each intern is displayed and shows those children with SEN can aspire to achieve also. 2 of the 2021/22 interns gained paid employment at the school following the program, both of whom are thriving in this environment.”
Thank you to everybody who has played a part in the success and achievements of The Legacy Project. We can’t wait to attend the prestigious event in London in November and wish all of the finalists the best of luck!
Richard Whitehead - Baton of Hope
As a part of an aspiring ‘zero suicides policy’ #BatonOfHopeUK is aiming to be the biggest suicide awareness and prevention initiative the UK has ever seen, opening up necessary conversations and prompting appropriate actions. The specially designed baton is on tour in UK towns and cities for two weeks, raising the profile of this issue like never before.
Richard Whitehead, the Founder and Manager of Man-Archy for Men’s mental health, was asked to take part in this run, with the added honour of carrying the #batonofhope and was inspired by the support and involvement in this event. Richard said “This is a great opportunity to open the conversation about suicide in both men, women and children as everyone in the run has experienced the pain in regards to losing a love one to suicide. It’s great to see so many people wanting to help reduce the sitgma, and open up difficult conversations” The founders Mike McCarthy and Steve Phillip founded this run and the charity following the loss of their own sons. More information about the organisation and their goals can be on their website which you can access via the button below.
Can You Dance Teacher's Award - 2023
Wonderful news as we have just received the award for CYD: Excellence in work with SEND! We are extremely happy for our Dancers, Dance Tutors and everyone who works so hard to make sure there is a sense of community, sense of pride and dedication to making sure everyone has a safe space to be in. Knocking down walls in the field of dance and showing everyone should have an equal opportunity to express themselves!