DANCERS got Swindon’s shoppers moving to the beat as part of a fitness drive.

Let’s Dance, in Wharf Green, featured a variety of different dances and workshops to get Swindon people active through dance.

Saskia Konynenburg, senior communications officer for NHS Swindon, said: “It was just a way of showing that dance is a really good way of exercising and can be done by people young and old.”

The event was a collaboration between NHS Swindon’s Change4Life project, Swindon Council and Swindon Dance.

The day showed off a mixture of different dance styles including Bollywood, Caribbean and hip hop and provided workshops in Caribbean dance.

The 120 performers, who ranged from seven to 70 years old, were from Hotsteppers dance group, Drove Primary School, Crowdys Hill Special School, the Underground Youth Centre and Swindon Dance’s Caribbean 10-week funk dance sessions.

Claire Findlay, dance education and access officer at Swindon Dance, said: “It was brilliant, it was really exciting with a real sense of community.

“Everyone I spoke to said they wanted to get up and dance. Lots of dads got up and grandads and people in wheelchairs on the side were joining in.”

The event was one of only four in the south west and Swindon was targeted because of its high obesity levels. Nearly one in four Swindon adults and nearly one in 10 children aged four or five are obese.

Miss Konynenburg said: “It’s about encouraging people to do things that are fun. Exercise doesn’t have to be boring.”

Obesity and being overweight can lead to a lot of health problems including diabetes, cancer, heart disease and strokes.

“It’s a big thing within the NHS, the main thing we focus on – prevention is much better than a cure,” said Miss Konynenburg. “If we can prevent people from developing illnesses we don‘t have to treat them.”

For more information visit the website https://dance.-change4life.com/ and for Swindon Dance call 01793 601700.