Nursery teacher, Salma Razzaq, has thanked her local community after her six hour danceathon in Hitchin’s Market Place on Saturday (May 20) raised £4000 for a cause very close to her heart, Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF).
The charity has been an important one to 38 year old Salma, who lives in Letchworth and teaches at Lordship Farm Primary School, ever since she received a life-saving liver transplant when she was just nine years old.
“Next year I will be 30 years post-transplant and I wanted to celebrate this by raising funds for a charity which supports the many families around the UK who are still going through what mine did when I was young. I know about the amazing work which CLDF do for families in that situation and thought it would be fund to raise much-needed funds by doing two of the things I love the most – dancing and feeding people!”
The danceathon featured Salma in an array of fancy dress outfits, dancing to live performances from local singer, Max Ryan, as well as drumming group, Garden City Samba and DJs Sami-B and Jaz Saund. She was joined throughout the day by local dance groups Dance Fusion, Garden City Samba and Wild Soul Sisterhood. Spectators also had the opportunity to buy Indian snacks and treats which had been donated by local businesses.
And despite non-stop dancing all day Saturday, Salma thoroughly enjoyed it: “It was an amazing day”, she said. “The sun was shining, people were joining in the fun and were so generous. Yes my legs are really aching today but I don’t care because I’m so happy with my fundraising total. I’m very grateful to all the local businesses and individuals from my home town Hitchin, as well as Letchworth, Baldock and the surrounding areas who supported me.”
Rebecca Cooper, Chief Executive of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, added: “CLDF is the only UK charity dedicated to fighting all childhood liver diseases and we rely on voluntary donations, so we are so grateful for Salma’s hard work and creativity. This is a fantastic fundraising total and we’re delighted everyone involved enjoyed themselves.”
You can still support Salma’s danceathon at Salma Razzaq is fundraising for Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (justgiving.com)
For more information on CLDF visit childliverdisease.org.
