A dad has raised more than £2,000 for the NHS by dancing in his garden in fancy dress for five hours every day for almost a month – battling heatstroke along the way.
And he’s lost a stone doing it.
Dean Burrows, 44, has spent the last 22 days dancing in his front garden in Crewe, Cheshire, dressed as characters including Shrek, an elf and a cheerleader to showcase his best moves.
The barber originally planned to jive in the garden just to put a smile on his neighbours’ faces, but when a passer-by suggested he used a bucket for donations he decided to try and raise money for the NHS too.
Single dad-of-one Dean says he started dancing to stave off lockdown boredom and because he was missing his daughter who lives with her mum.
He said: ‘I only started doing it because I wanted to get out of the house and because I was getting lonely without my daughter.
‘I wanted to put a smile on people’s faces during lockdown because when I started, we were only one week in and you could see how it was affecting people already.
‘But the reaction has been unbelievable.
‘It’s just such a good feeling getting support and seeing how generous people are.’
At one point heatstroke, he developed after dancing in 19-degree temperatures in a furry bunny costume.
He was left shaking in bed and struggling to sleep as he felt so dehydrated.
He spent some time resting and getting better.
Since he developed sunstroke, he has put up a marquee on his front lawn to dance under.
He added: ‘I can’t believe I’ve lost weight too. I definitely wasn’t expecting to – wearing the big costumes probably helped.
‘It has been really fun but going into the fourth week it’s getting tougher because I don’t have any time to myself anymore.
‘But it’s keeping up morale in the area so I know I’ve got to keep doing it.
‘People are stopping to have a chat and I hope that it’s something that will be kept up after lockdown.’
Since Dean began his danceathon, he’s become famous around the area and residents have donated new costumes for him to wear including Superman, a teddy bear and a snowman.
The first costume Dean wore was a gnome outfit which he already had hidden away in the loft.
Dean said: ‘It’s incredible how generous people have been. I can’t believe it and I can’t thank everyone enough.
‘I’ve got a chair piled high with costumes that people have donated, and my living room is half full.
‘There’s loads I haven’t even worn yet, including a banana costume and a nurse’s outfit.’
The dad-of-one raised just under £20 on the first day but by the end of the first week, the total rocketed to £750 and it now stands at £2192.77.
Dean said although the whole neighbourhood have come out in support of his fundraising, his biggest fan is 10-year-old daughter Jessica.
He said: ‘She thinks it’s absolutely amazing.
‘She’s been so supportive she’s set me off crying – I feel really emotional.
‘But I also feel bad because she comes round and just has to watch me dance for hours!’
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