TESCO'S Bicester branch has kicked off the supermarket’s nationwide dance campaign to raise money for three big charities.
Pussycat Doll, Kimberly Wyatt, and Harry and Eleiyah from BBC’s The Greatest Dancer, were at the store on Lakeview Drive on Monday, where they formed part of the Tesco Dance Beats supergroup who are touring the country.
Among the stars was Bryan Taunton from Bicester, who works at Tesco as a community champion.
He joined the group for an hour-long event at the store, where they mingled with customers before donning their dancing shoes for a stellar dance performance.
Mr Taunton said: “It’s been a great privilege to get involved with Dance Beats and to raise money for three great charities, and it’s been fantastic to get some dance training and to dance with the celebrities.
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“The training was a bit of a shock to the system to begin with, but with a bit of practice at home I think I was ready. The Dance Beats celebrities have all been amazing. They all got really involved and we’ve all had a really good time.”
The event forms part of Tesco’s major new fundraiser where there will be three days of dance marathon fundraising events in thousands of Tesco stores across the country from 18 to 20 July.
Money raised will go to the chain’s three national health charity partners: Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK.
It follows last year’s announcement of a five-year partnership between Tesco and the charities dubbed, Little Helps for Healthier Living.
Ms Wyatt said she enjoyed dancing with Mr Taunton and has a personal connection with the charities she is supporting.
She said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure dancing with Bryan. He isn’t a professional dancer but he’s picked up the choreography, has been great to work with and always gives it his all in our supergroup performances.
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“Dance Beats has been incredible because it uses dance to raise awareness and bring people together to help three amazing charitable causes – beating cancer, beating heart diseases and fighting diabetes.”
She added:“Cancer has hit my family in many ways for many years.
“Quite a few people in my life have either won their battle with it, lost their battle or continue fighting, so I do whatever I can to raise awareness, and what better way to do it than with dance, which is my ultimate passion in life.”
Dance Beats will conclude with an ambitious Guinness World Records attempt at Wembley stadium on July 19 and 20 where thousands of Tesco colleagues and members of the public will come together to complete a 30-hour dance marathon relay.
Tesco is calling on the public to get behind Dance Beats in one of three ways.
These include: applying for tickets to participate in the Guinness World Records attempt at Wembley Stadium, uploading a video of yourself doing a ‘signature Dance Beats move’ on Tesco’s social media channels where Tesco will donate £10 for every move to the campaign, or you can hold your own Dance Beats fundraising event.
For more information go to tesco.com/dancebeats.
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