Taylor Wimpey Midlands has made a cash donation to the Birmingham-based Elmhurst School for Dance for their upcoming Summer Fundraising Gala, which is raising money to support students through their tuition.

The leading local housebuilder, which is currently building high-quality homes at its Woodall Grange development in Dudley, has donated £500 and purchased two £60 tickets to the gala to help support three projects undertaken by the school – the Investment in Excellence Fund, a Health and Well-Being Centre and a Multi-Use Games Area.

Guy Oddy, Fundraising and Development Officer at Elmhurst School for Dance, says: “Elmhurst is hosting four summer shows at Birmingham Rep between 2nd and 4th July, followed by the Annual Fundraising Gala, which this year is taking place at the school on 9th July.

“We are celebrating our tenth anniversary in Birmingham by hosting a range of events for a campaign which we hope will raise at least £1 million to fund the new initiatives, including a gala dinner and a wide variety of dance performances.”

The school teaches pupils aged from 11 to 19, with the Investment in Excellence Fund providing eligible students with bursary support up to £5,000 to allow them to continue their studies.

Guy says: “Elmhurst School for Dance aims to make ballet training available to all talented young people, regardless of family background. Therefore, many of our students have much in common with Billy Elliot, with 85% of them requiring some financial help to train at the school.

“We are very grateful for Taylor Wimpey’s donation as it allows us as an establishment to provide training on the basis of talent rather than an ability to afford the fees, which in turn results in some stunning ballet dancers.”

The Elmhurst school is run in association with the prestigious Birmingham Royal Ballet, one of the UK’s three major ballet companies, training students from throughout the UK and even Europe.

Guy added: “As many of our pupils are boarders, it’s important to have medical support available. Our new Health and Well-Being Centre, which we will be launching later this year, will provide dance-specific therapy and medical care under one roof so we can encourage healthy eating and good habits to prevent and reduce injury for sustainable careers.

“Not only will the new centre provide medical care, but it will also invest in research and industry knowledge by looking into areas such as bone density, so our pupils can reduce injury and prolong their careers.”

The school currently has no outdoor games or sports facilities, so the new Multi-Use Games Area is designed to offer students a different outlet.

Guy adds: “While the pupils are exercising and dancing all day it’s happening indoors, so they rarely get to go outside to enjoy the sunshine and just have some fun, which is what the Multi-Use Games Area will offer.”

Founded in 1923 in Surrey, Elmhurst School for Dance offers training and education to ballet dancers, providing them with a solid foundation for careers as classical dance professionals. The school has hosted fundraising events in the past that have been supported by Taylor Wimpey, which donated money in 2013 and 2014.

Anne Wallace, Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey Midlands, says: “We are very pleased to offer our support to Elmhurst School for Dance for a third year, which will help them continue to support their students’ achievements.

“We we wish them the best of luck and hope they enjoy their upcoming Summer Fundraising Gala.”

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