Stars of Strictly St. Joseph's 2024 unveiled

Seven contestants will be taking to the dancefloor at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Liverpool on Saturday 28^th September to compete for the glitterball trophy in this year’s Strictly St. Joseph’s challenge, all in aid of St. Joseph’s Hospice.

It is a very special year for St. Joseph’s Hospice as it is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary since it opened its doors in Thornton. It is also a year in which funding hospice care has never been more important with the UK hospice sector facing a collective deficit of £77m due to rising costs and reduced funding, alongside an increasing demand for palliative and end of life hospice care.

St Joseph's - Harrison Fearnley and Eleanor

This year is the hospice’s fourth Strictly St. Joseph’s event and it is, once again, collaborating with the Marshside School of Dance in Southport who are providing experienced dance partners and training sessions for its Strictly challenge.

All participants have been hitting the training room over the summer and have taken on this challenge in the hope of raising lots of money for the Merseyside hospice.

This year’s Strictly St. Joseph’s contestants are Liam Ballantyne, Harrison Fearnley, Megan Fearnley, Sammy Flynn, Emily Sutch, Katie Rose Vickers, and Linzi Wood.

Megan, from Walton, works in Customer Care. She was inspired to sign up for Strictly St Joseph’s by her Auntie Siobhan who had a passion for fundraising and used to work in the hospice’s fundraising team. When Siobhan passed away four years ago, Megan continued fundraising in her memory and is taking part in Strictly as a tribute to Siobhan.

Linzi, from Crosby, is a personal trainer. Her mum Irene was cared for at the hospice earlier this year and so, being such a huge Strictly fan, she jumped at the chance to get involved and raise some money for the hospice. Linzi loves everything about Strictly and says her mum would have loved to have watched her perform in Strictly St. Joseph’s.

Clare Waller, clinical director at St. Joseph’s Hospice, said:

“Strictly St. Joseph’s is a fantastic event and it raises vital funds for the hospice every year.

“All of this year’s dancers have worked really hard to learn their dances and they are all taking part to support the hospice, either in memory of a friend or a loved one who has received hospice care or simply just to show their support for an important local charity.

“Events like this allow us to continue providing compassionate and specialised end of life care to our community and will help us to support a growing number of patients from across Merseyside and West Lancashire in the future, so please come along and join us for what will be a fabulous eventing and brilliant way to show your support to the hospice.”

Tickets for Strictly St. Joseph’s include a delicious four-course meal, entertainment, LIVE Strictly show and a disco until 1am. Tickets cost £55 each and can purchased from the hospice by calling 0151 932 6044 or 0151 932 6046 or emailing events@stjhospice.org.uk.