Derbyshire's Unstrictly Dancing 2026 raised £14,000 for local charities in the fundraiser's best year yet!
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 22 July 2026
Ten local personalities swapped their day jobs for the ballroom floor at REACH Conference Centre, Derby, with Roxroy Fearon and his professional partner Emma Charlton crowned winners of the evening.
Derby and Derbyshire's most dazzling night of the year has once again delivered for local good causes, with Derbyshire Unstrictly Dancing 2026, delivered by Unity is Community CIC, raising a fantastic £14,000 for five local charities.
Ten brave contestants took to the dancefloor on Saturday 27th June at REACH Conference Centre, partnered with professional dancers in front of a live audience, all in aid of The Lewis Sewell Trust, The Living Recovery Foundation, Rebuild East Midlands, and five places for Derby Kids' Camp and Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre.
The total marks the fundraiser's best year yet, and continues a remarkable upward trajectory for the event. Unstrictly Dancing raised £5,000 in 2024 and £11,000 in 2025, meaning this year's total takes the event's combined fundraising to £30,000 for local charities since it began.
A night to remember
Organised by Unity is Community CIC, the event saw business leaders, community figures and people who had never danced in public before take to the floor, every one of them described by organisers as magnificent.
"Every year I am moved all over again by the courage of the people who say yes to Unstrictly Dancing, and by the generosity of everyone who comes along to support them. Watching this event grow from where it started to raising £14,000 in a single night fills me with immense pride, and every pound raised will make a real difference to the causes we support."
Theresa Peltier DL, Founder and Director, Unity is Community CIC
"What a night. Derbyshire Unstrictly Dancing 2026 is done and our hearts are absolutely full. Theresa and I are just so grateful to everyone who played a part. Ten incredible people swapped their day jobs for the dance floor on Saturday, and every single one of them was magnificent. A massive thank you to everyone. Collectively, we have raised £14,000 for the five charities this year, and we are heading in the right direction. We raised £5,000 in 2024 and £11,000 in 2025, and none of it would be possible without the generosity of this wonderful community."
Jonathan Leach, Director, Unity is Community CIC
"It was a fantastic event, and thank you to everyone for your hard work. It was wonderful meeting everyone, and it is something I will remember for a very long time to come."
Chris Birds, Joint Owner, Boxall Brown & Jones and BB&J Commercial
Champions of the dancefloor
Roxroy Fearon lifted the award of the evening alongside his professional partner Emma Charlton, capping off a night of spectacular performances from all ten contestants.
Meet the Unstrictly class of 2026
- Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council
- Lisa Marriott, Head of People and Culture, Embark Federation and Chair of Rebuild East Midlands
- Emma Pilgrim, Events and Partnerships Manager, Derby County Community Trust
- Roxroy Fearon, Senior Social Worker, Entrepreneur and Rugby Community Leader
- Chris Birds, Joint Owner, Boxall Brown & Jones and BB&J Commercial
- Tom Morgan, Managing Director, trentbarton
- Dr Caroline Lowery
- Richard FitzHerbert, Tissington Estate
- Steven Thai, CEO, Ocean King Ltd
- Emily Williamson, Senior Journalist and Presenter, BBC East Midlands Today
An electric room
The room at REACH Conference Centre was electric throughout, with a live band providing the evening's heartbeat and the generosity of contestants, guests, sponsors and supporters proving extraordinary from start to finish.
The evening was hosted with warmth and flair by Kristian Cunningham and Ellie Kinsey, while food for the evening was provided by The Butlers Pantry (Derby) Ltd.
Organisers also paid tribute to Lee Jepson and his team, including Chris Edwards of L.E.A.D. IT Services, for their work on videography, technical support, app development and photography throughout the evening.
Thanks to our sponsors
Derbyshire Unstrictly Dancing 2026 was proudly supported by headline sponsor Cosy Direct, along with HUUB Design, L.E.A.D. IT Services and EMA Training Ltd.
The charities
- The Lewis Sewell Trust
- The Living Recovery Foundation
- Rebuild East Midlands
- Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre
- Derby Kids' Camp
Organisers say five incredible causes are better supported today because this community showed up, and that further thanks are still to come for the professional dancers, volunteers and judges who helped make the evening possible.
About Unity is Community CIC
Unity is Community CIC is a Derby based Community Interest Company founded by Theresa Peltier, with Jonathan Leach as Director. Unstrictly Dancing is delivered by Unity is Community CIC. It exists to bring arts and creative opportunities to disadvantaged communities across Derby and Derbyshire, using events like Unstrictly Dancing to raise vital funds and shine a spotlight on the causes and people that need it most.
