Pictures: South Devon dances its heart out for hospice

Images: MiraclePR

Glitz, glamour and high-energy dance routines took centre stage at Torquay’s Princess Theatre on Saturday  as 12 brave local business professionals performed in Strictly Rowcroft 2025 — a fundraising event in support of Rowcroft Hospice.

The evening raised over £176,000 to help fund the hospice’s end-of-life care services for people with life-limiting illnesses across South Devon.

The contestants, all drawn from the local business community, underwent an intensive dance training programme led by Danceworks Devon. Each then took to the stage in front of a full house to perform Latin and ballroom routines, stepping well outside their comfort zones in support of the charity.

Among the contestants was South Devon MP Caroline Voaden, who performed the waltz and cha-cha-cha with her dance partner, Mark Joyner. Ms Voaden said: "What an incredible event, pulled together by the brilliant Rowcroft events team. It was terrifying walking out on the stage to dance, but we all had excellent tuition from the amazing team at Danceworks Devon in Newton Abbot, led by Pauline Mason. We couldn't have done it without her calm and patient coaching over several months! 

"I absolutely loved the whole experience and will really miss dancing. My partner Mark Joyner managed to pull me through the errors I made on the night when the nerves got the better of me and I'm really proud of our performance and pleased to have contributed to the incredible total raised for Rowcroft's vital work. What a result!

"The atmosphere in the theatre was electric and it was clear the whole community had come together to help support our hospice which relies so heavily on donations from the public."

"Now it's time to get back to the comfort zone of the green benches where I will continue to fight for hospice funding."

The winner of the Strictly Rowcroft Champion title was Barry Young, managing director of Brixham Trawler Agents. He performed two routines — the slow foxtrot and the rumba — with professional partner Alexandra Jay, and received more than 12,000 votes from the audience.

The judging panel featured former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Flavia Cacace, Strictly choreographer Jenny Thomas and Stairway to the Stars producer Chris Chambers. All three praised the standard of the dancing and the commitment shown by the performers. Hosting duties for the night were shared between Steve Reynolds, chair of the Torbay Business Forum, and Debbi Shotton, community fundraising officer at Rowcroft Hospice.

A special award for fundraising was presented to Robbie Savage, co-founder of the online competition platform Rev Comps. Mr Savage raised £88,000 for the hospice — £77,850 of which came from a dedicated fundraising campaign that included an Orlando Disney holiday competition, with the remainder coming from audience votes. His original fundraising target was £20,000.

Alexia Croft, Rowcroft’s community engagement manager, said: “The show has been absolutely magical. We’re so grateful to everyone who made this event such a success, including our incredible dancers, the team at Danceworks Devon, our judges, our sponsors Kitson Boyce, and of course, the audience. Together, we’ve not only created a fab-u-lous night of glitz and glamour, but we’ve also made a real difference in the lives of those who need our care. Every penny raised will help us provide specialist care, comfort and support to local families when they need it most.”

Sally Scott-Bryant, chair of trustees at Rowcroft Hospice, also paid tribute to everyone involved in the event. 

She said: “I am absolutely thrilled by the tremendous success of Strictly Rowcroft. It is clear that the Rowcroft team put in a phenomenal effort to make this event such a wild success. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved for their hard work, determination and dedication. The atmosphere in the audience was truly electric, showcasing our community’s united support for Rowcroft — it was awe-inspiring. I am immensely proud of our brave contestants, their partners, Danceworks Devon and our sponsors and other supporters, and I am truly amazed by the amount raised on the night.”

Strictly Rowcroft 2025 was supported by local law firm Kitson Boyce as headline sponsor.

Rowcroft Hospice provides specialist care and support for people living with life-limiting illnesses in South Devon. The funds raised from the event will help to ensure that patients and their families continue to receive personalised, compassionate care at home and in the hospice.

For more information about Rowcroft Hospice or to find out how to support its work, visit: rowcrofthospice.org.uk