This Is Us Celebrates Its First Decade With Charity Challenge
Co-Founder takes on 100-mile ultra-marathon challenge to raise crucial funds.
Image John Knight Photography
This Is Us was founded with the ethos that everyone deserves the opportunity to be seen, heard and belong. It was created in 2016 by an educator who knew change was needed, a determined parent driven to create opportunities for his daughter, and a dancer who believed access to the arts should be for everyone.
After 10 years of impact, it is going from strength to strength, working with more families than ever before and living up to that ethos every day. To mark the start of its next decade, and to raise crucial funds for the charity, one of the co-founders is undertaking a 100-mile ultra-marathon challenge.
What began as an inclusive dance class, has become a thriving community, a shared space for families to feel safe, accepted and less isolated. This Is Us now provides multiple group classes, private classes, outreach to special schools and performs wherever it can. But more than this, it provides a community. It provides a space to belong. Its dancers provide laughter, happiness and inspiration. Over the last decade, the work that This Is Us does has been recognised nationally by The National Lottery, BBC Children in Need, BBC Strictly Come Dancing and TEDx, to name just a few. These platforms have been fundamental in helping This Is Us reach more families and create new opportunities.
The first children who joined This Is Us at eight years old are now confident young adults, leading and inspiring the next generation. It is crucial that now, in this next chapter, This Is Us sustains that confidence and support their next steps into adulthood, as part of the community.
“Our impact is proven. Our vision is clear. We are committed to opening more doors and making a wider, lasting difference,” says Jan Cockburn, Administrator and Director of This Is Us CIC. “Now, we are ready to take the next steps for a long-term impact, and for that, we need your support.”
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The next decade of This Is Us starts with its biggest ever charity challenge. On 2nd May, Co-Founder Peter McLoughlin will be running 100 miles from London to Oxford nonstop.
“19 years ago, I became a dad to an amazing daughter,” explains Peter. “We found out quickly that Anja had complex learning difficulties, and as she grew up, we also discovered that if you’re ‘different’, there are very few opportunities for extracurricular activities. Somehow, solving this turned into a bit of a mission for me and 10 years ago I found myself establishing This Is Us – an inclusive dance company to help fill the gap. This Is Us is now 10, so to ensure we can continue doing what we do, I decided an apt celebration was a fundraising challenge.”
While ‘couch to 100 miles’ isn’t the kind of challenge most people would take on, Peter is determined to make a difference. “The reality is that this challenge will be a moment in time,” Peter states. “Our dancers deal with challenges every day and they smile and laugh. If I can do something to raise money to support their company, their happy place – then every single step will be worth it. And by my calculations there will be around 200,000 steps. I can’t promise smiles and laughter by the end from me though! Every donation will make an impact. Thank you for supporting me, but even more, thank you for supporting This Is Us.”
To support Peter, click here.
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