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DanceEast unveils three new audience ambassadors to boost dance engagement

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Attwells Solicitors

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DanceEast has appointed three Ipswich residents as Audience Ambassadors to help introduce underrepresented groups to dance performances and experiences.

Why it matters: The initiative aims to change misconceptions about dance events by showcasing their accessibility, inclusivity, and affordability.

The new DanceEast Audience Ambassadors

The big picture: The ambassadors will focus on different audience segments:

  • Gabrielle Shefford will focus on family audiences

  • Millie Powell will focus on 18-35 year olds

  • Brian Powlett will focus on global majority audiences

Key details:

  • The appointments are part of the "Future Dance Audiences" project, funded by Foyle Foundation.

  • Gabrielle Shefford, who moved to Ipswich with her young children just before lockdown, was immediately impressed by DanceEast's inclusive approach.

  • Millie Powell, a dance graduate in Ipswich, aims to gather feedback from younger people about their preferences for dance experiences.

  • Brian Powlett, also of Ipswich, discovered dance "on a whim" and wants to reach out to people who might not typically consider dance shows entertainment.

What they're saying:

Gabrielle Shefford: "I think it's that energy, you just can't replace it with anything else. You feel part of it."

Millie Powell: "Dance is for everyone. Quite a lot of performances are only 1 hr to 1.5 hours. They [friends] want to make a whole evening of it, so trying to find ways of extending the whole experience is important."

Brian Powlett: "What I genuinely like with dance, you're always having to do your own interpretation of things that are going on. There's not a specific narrative and you have to decide for yourself what's happening."

The bottom line: These ambassadors will work to broaden DanceEast 's audience base and showcase the diverse appeal of dance performances.

Get involved: For more information on upcoming dance events and performances, visit www.danceeast.co.uk or call 01473 295230.

Attwells staff outside their Ipswich office

An award-winning local law firm

Rated as "Excellent" on Review Solicitors with an impressive 4.8/5 on Feefo.

Attwells staff outside their Ipswich office

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Farage more trusted than Starmer in East of England, latest poll finds

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Attwells Solicitors

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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is more trusted to represent the UK internationally than PM Keir Starmer among East of England voters, new polling reveals.

Why it matters: The findings highlight a significant decline in trust for the main party leaders in the region less than a year after the general election.

The poll, conducted by communications agency PLMR and Electoral Calculus, shows Farage ranked highest among named leaders at 19% in the East of England, ahead of Sir Keir Starmer (13%), Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch (6%) and Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey (5%).

Nigel Farage
Nigel FarageAlamy

The bigger picture: One in three voters (33%) in the region responded "none of the above" when asked which political figure they would trust most, suggesting a broader decline in overall trust in UK political leaders.

By the numbers: The same poll indicates Reform UK would become the largest party in the region if an election were held tomorrow:

  • Reform: 21 seats

  • Conservatives: 10 seats

  • Labour: 4 seats

  • Liberal Democrats: 2 seats

  • Greens: 1 seat

In contrast: Nationally, Farage and Starmer are tied at 16% among those who named a preference, highlighting a more polarised national picture, with the Reform UK leader building more trust with voters in the East of England specifically.

What they're saying: "This polling highlights a significant decline in trust for the two main party leaders among East of England voters when it comes to representing the UK on the international stage," said Tim Miller , Managing Director of PLMR Genesis , the East of England branch of PLMR.

Reform and Nigel Farage have seemingly been able to capitalise on this and it's now translating into voting intentions, with the Party set to overtake Labour and the Conservatives in the region with the largest number of seats – a seismic political shift.

Between the lines: The poll suggests Reform would make strong gains across the region, potentially taking seats from both major parties:

  • Suffolk: Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket from Labour

  • Essex: Braintree from the Conservatives and Thurrock from Labour

  • Cambridgeshire: North East from the Conservatives and North West from Labour

  • Norfolk: North West from the Conservatives and South West from Labour

Tim Miller on a backdrop of Ipswich from above and political party colour overlays
Tim Miller of PLMR GenesisOliver Rouane-WilliamsIpswich.co.uk

The national outlook: The survey of 5,180 adults showed Reform securing 25% of the vote share nationally, compared to 23% each for Labour and the Conservatives. This would translate to 227 seats for Reform, 180 for Labour and 130 for the Conservatives.

The bottom line: "If Labour wants to keep Reform at bay, hold onto the gains they made in the East of England and remain in government in four year's time, the Party needs to focus on getting their message across more clearly to voters and instil confidence in their domestic agenda," Miller concluded.

Attwells staff outside their Ipswich office

An award-winning local law firm

Rated as "Excellent" on Review Solicitors with an impressive 4.8/5 on Feefo.

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