An innovative dance class for people with brain conditions is marking its first anniversary as Parkinson's Awareness Month begins.
Neuro-Moves, which is based at Horse & Bamboo in Waterfoot, provides dance and movement sessions for people with Parkinson's and other neurological conditions.
This month it is marking its first anniversary, which coincides with the annual awareness month for Parkinson's, a degenerative condition of the nervous system which weakens nerve cells in the brain, and is often characterised by body tremors, slowness and stiffness.
LPM Dance, which runs the sessions, wants more people with neurological conditions to experience the benefits of its classes.
Helen Gould, co-founder of LPM Dance, said: “We’ve done a lot of research with our Neuro-Moves classes and participants report that the social aspect of the class is very important to them.
“People with Parkinson’s can feel apathy and have depression but at our classes, they are able to feel part of a community, and that really matters to them.”
The sessions are supported by the National Lottery and Parkinson's UK, and was recently added as a social prescription open for doctors.
Helen runs the weekly classes with Beth Payton and they use different dance styles to improve the fluidity of movement, co-ordination, balance, and motor control of those with Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis.
People who have had strokes also attend, and those with dementia are welcome too, as are friends and family.
A wide range of music - from Elvis Presley to Elbow, and Dolly Parton to Vivaldi - is used to get everyone moving, and routines can be done sitting or standing.
Neuro-Moves sessions take place at the Horse & Bamboo in Bacup Road at 2pm every Monday, and cost £3.50 which includes refreshments.
To mark World Parkinson's Day, an online Neuro-Moves session will take place on April 11 so people near and far can take part, and you can take part by visiting LPM Dance's Facebook or YouTube pages.
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