DISABLED dancers have been given a boost with a new donation.

Freemasons from Old Town’s Gooch Lodge handed over a cheque for £250 to Swindon Dance.

The cash donation, which was handed over at the Swindon Rugby Football Club on Saturday, will help support Swindon Dance’s dance sessions for adults and children with learning disabilities.

Viv Slayford, artistic director at Swindon Dance, said: “Donations such as this enable us to provide a programme which includes regular dance sessions for adults and children with learning disabilities alongside opportunities to see and work with specialist professional dancers with physical and learning disabilities and opportunities to create and perform themselves.”

The dance director said that her organisation offered “thousands” the chance to take part in classes and performances.

“For many this will be a leisure pursuit and a fun pathway to health and well-being whilst for others, it is a step into an amazing career in dance,” said Viv.

“Swindon Dance believes in the power of artistic expression and creativity for all and provides quality dance from grown-ups who simply love to dance, to children and young people who want to learn how to create and perform dance, to taking dance out into the community to schools, venues and other groups especially in areas of disadvantage.”

Swindon Freemasons’ Paul Moffat said: “We are pleased to be able to support Swindon Dance and its programme for adults and children with learning disabilities.”