Para Dance UK Press Releases

  “I really feel thankful to have had the opportunity to take part in Para Dance,” Suzannah confided, “It is accessible, affordable, non-judgmental, and above all fun.” Para Dance UK is part of the Communities 1st family and I was keen to find out how it is helping people with disabilities.…

When you’re next having a beverage at the Communities 1st Coffee Cart in St Albans civic centre, don’t be surprised if your drink is served with a song and a smile! There is a lot of interest in singing amongst the volunteers at the cart. This is because Emma, a recent recruit, has a deep interest…

  “It’s been a brilliant experience! I am so pleased to have been involved. It’s been a real privilege.” So declared Ann Harrison at the Communities 1st annual general meeting in June 2025, in response to a tribute paid to her by Communities 1st chair, Jason John, who was thanking her for…

Colin has been a volunteer with Communities 1st for some two and a half years. Once a week he telephones Richard*, who is in his mid-seventies and lives alone. They chat for about an hour, as part of Communities 1st Telephone Befriending Programme. Colin explained to me that “At the start, I…

“I owe Communities 1st such a lot,” Gabriela explained to me over a delicious cup of coffee at the Communities Thirst coffee point in the St Albans Civic Centre where she gives her time as a volunteer. Gabiela continued, “Communities 1st has helped me learn English, taught me new skills, and given…

Brian Hudson’s Thursdays start when, at 9:30, he picks up a gentleman who lives is St Albans and gives him a lift to his mother who lives near the Galleria, in Hatfield. He then makes his way to the Communities 1st office, Ver House, in Park Street, probably arriving around 10:20. Brian spends his…

  "...I dread to think what state we’d be in if we didn’t have volunteers" “It would be devastating. It would impact on vulnerable people, their families, and the wider community. It doesn’t bear thinking about,” commented Patti when I asked her about the role of volunteers. And she should…

    To go back to the start Ann, in her sixties and living in Bishop’s Stortford, worked for many years in banking. After her son was born, and he is now grown up and left home, she transferred to work in the local branch of the bank in Bishops Stortford. “I loved being branch based,”…

Patricia’s Path to Positivity with Communities 1st Patricia*, originally from the north-east and now in her early seventies, has been using Communities 1st services for some nine years. I was looking forward to chatting with her and learning about her experience. I was richly rewarded. Patricia* is…

We are taking a short break from all the online dance sessions, but not for long! We will start the week commencing 2 September with our regular online dance sessions. Please see below all the information about our courses and the IDT (online dance training), our online training…

Hopefully, the nice weather ahead of us will decide to linger a little bit longer thus offering the perfect background for going outside, enjoying the nice weather, keeping healthy and ready to start dancing again.  In this newsletter there are some updates about our classes…

Strengthening communities through building connections  “What I like to do is make connections. I enjoy talking to people, thinking about connections, and then putting people in touch with each other,” Colin told me when I asked him about his experience of volunteering with Communities 1st.…

Communities 1st is a great antidote to the view that “there is no such thing as society”! “It’s fantastic what Communities 1st is doing,” Mike told me when I eventually tracked him down and he told me about his experience as a volunteer. “You provide a wide range of valuable services to support the…

Laughter is the Best Medicine  Liz has a great sense of humour! I’m often struck while talking to volunteers that they have a huge sense of fun; we laugh a lot! Liz is no exception. One of the reasons she volunteers is because she enjoys helping bring a smile to people’s faces. This isn’t to…

In October 2023 Communities 1st welcomed Para Dance UK that brought in an inspiring element of inclusive dance, championing the values of inclusion, accessibility, and participation for all, irrespective of ability. Together we have created a series of courses suitable for a wide…

In October 2023 Communities 1st welcomed Para Dance UK that brought in an inspiring element of inclusive dance, championing the values of inclusion, accessibility, and participation for all, irrespective of ability. Together we have created a series of courses…

  My values are similar to those of Communities 1st - we believe in kindness." Carole became a volunteer with Communities 1st in 2020 at the outbreak of the COVID pandemic. She became a steward at the Vaccination Centres and used her sewing skills to make scrubs for health workers. Carole…

A huge welcome to our very first newsletter from Para Dance UK and Communities 1st  Since we announced to you all that Para Dance UK would be merging with Communities 1st we have all been busy working behind the scenes to formulate a strategy to continue to support…

  Irina is a telephone befriender with Communities 1st. She was born in Romania and lived in a small village in the countryside. “Where I grew up, there was a strong sense of community,” she told me. “Everyone knew each other. People helped their neighbours and were very supportive.” Her…

  Imagine what it must be like to have lived in Lincoln for fifty-five years, where you raised your family of three sons, and then you faced the upheaval of moving to Borehamwood. You had worked for over fifty years in an important and technical job as a fitting engineer. You took early…