Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00Welcome to the Strictly for Cause podcast, sponsored by Highland News and Media.
00:04My name is Rachel.
00:05And I'm Chris.
00:06And today we have with us...
00:08Hi, I'm John and I'm sponsored by Mosset Tavern in Forres.
00:11And my name's Laura and I'm sponsored by Harp and Loud.
00:19What dances are you both doing?
00:21We've got jazz and...
00:23And the jive as well.
00:24Oh, two quite upbeat ones.
00:26Yeah.
00:26Yeah.
00:27I feel like people this year kind of got one slow and one fast,
00:32but we've kind of just been chucked in the deep end, actually.
00:35Is that the actual case though?
00:36Because I was thinking it'd be one slow, one fast, but actually...
00:40Yeah, I mean, I've got one slow, one fast, but...
00:46Is this confirmation bias?
00:48Yeah, I don't know.
00:49Because I thought it was a mixture of no one...
00:52There was no real set rhythm to it as such, but maybe there is.
00:56Don't they like to see your repertoire though?
00:57And you can do slow, you can do fast.
01:00But are yours both quite high-paced then?
01:03I would say so.
01:04Jive in particular is way quicker than jazz,
01:07but jazz is still pretty quick as well, to be honest.
01:11Yeah.
01:12I don't know if it was just like a random selection, to be honest,
01:14when they decided just to...
01:16Or was it based on paranoid?
01:19I don't know how they managed to just give us the jive really, but...
01:24Yeah, it'd be interesting to know what they actually look at on the pairing night,
01:26whether it's like they decide then or if it's a bit random.
01:29Or just a bit random.
01:30Yeah, like draw bits of paper out of a hat.
01:32Yeah.
01:33It's a very good question, actually.
01:35Yeah, I mean, how do you guys feel as a pair?
01:38Do you feel like well-matched?
01:40Yeah, definitely.
01:41Yeah, we get on great.
01:42Yeah.
01:43It was quite interesting though, actually, in terms of the pairing night,
01:45because for me, I was with one person for quite a long time
01:48and it was going quite well and seemed to be quite matched.
01:51And then one of the tutors kind of took me away and said,
01:54I'll have to think about what I'm doing here.
01:55But I think it's also trying to match that many people.
01:58So I then moved a few times and then we ended up together right towards it,
02:01only for like maybe a minute or two at the end.
02:03And then they were like, okay, this is your couple.
02:05And it felt like a bit of a shock at the time,
02:06but we've obviously been dancing pretty well.
02:08So you can see that they obviously know what they're doing.
02:10But yeah, it was quite interesting on the night,
02:12because we were like, oh, okay.
02:14Yeah, because I mean, we wrote the total for the end of the whole...
02:16Yeah, we hadn't really spoken up to that point.
02:19Yeah, and I was the same.
02:20I had Danny from the very start right up till pretty much near the end,
02:27quickly got moved to someone else for like a minute
02:30and then got moved on to John.
02:32So yeah.
02:33And here you are together.
02:35And how have the rehearsals been going?
02:38Good fun or much harder than you thought?
02:41I would say challenging, but when you get it right, it's great.
02:44I think this week was a bit difficult,
02:48just because you're getting so many things thrown at you
02:50and you're trying to learn it as you're going.
02:54But I felt quite bad that I was making mistakes, if that makes sense.
02:59But you get a lot of support from the tutors
03:02and it's been really good fun dancing with you.
03:05And it all comes back as well.
03:06I just thought we've got some dances.
03:09How are we going to go into from one week
03:11what we've learned into the next week
03:13and remember what we've done?
03:15What made you both decide to sign up for Strictly Inverness this year?
03:19For me, it was someone I knew had done it before last year
03:25and then I was speaking to someone else at work about it
03:29and they said, oh, I actually did it a few years ago
03:30and they were really encouraging
03:32and said it was an amazing experience
03:34and they were kind of saying, go for it, you'll have a great time.
03:38So I put in the application and yeah, here I am, I guess.
03:41But yeah, it was a bit of a sort of challenge
03:45and I do quite like to kind of put myself out there a wee bit.
03:48So probably a bit too much sometimes in terms of this.
03:51But yeah, no, it was great to get that encouragement to do it
03:56because I'm not sure I would have otherwise.
03:58Yeah, so more of that personal challenge that you did it.
04:00Yeah, definitely.
04:01Yeah, and how about yourself?
04:03Yeah, I would say a personal challenge for me.
04:06I did some like crazy things last year,
04:08like going on a solo trip and stuff.
04:09So I was like, I want to just continue this into this year.
04:13So yeah, I was actually going to be applying last year
04:16and then had missed it.
04:17They were looking for males only.
04:19So I was like, right, now's the chance, I'll do it this year.
04:23So ever since I moved up here,
04:25I just noticed that the Highland Hospice had a lot going on.
04:28And yeah, I kind of just clicked with the charity straight away
04:31when I came up here.
04:32So yeah, just mainly that reason, I would say.
04:36And was that clicking to do with anything in your own life
04:38and what the hospice do?
04:40Yeah, so I haven't really had anyone
04:43that's kind of dealt with the services of the hospice at all.
04:46My grandda passed away about five years ago with cancer
04:50and I presume like every other family
04:52in that would have dealt with cancer
04:55in their family and that before.
04:56So I feel like cancer charities just take a home really for me
05:02and I want to give back.
05:03So yeah.
05:05Do you know much about Highland Hospice?
05:08A few things, yeah.
05:09I actually have done some volunteering
05:11down at the hospice warehouse.
05:14So that's given us much more insight
05:16in what they actually do and stuff like that.
05:18But yeah, hearing about like the £8,000 a day it takes to run
05:23is just crazy, to be honest.
05:26It's a lot of money.
05:28And I guess you talked about challenging things.
05:30You sound like you both are a bit of daredevils.
05:34What is the challenging things you've done in the past before this?
05:38I'm trying to think of a good example.
05:42You talked it up.
05:43I know.
05:44I think, I guess I'm always one that puts a lot of pressure on myself
05:47and I guess up to now it's mostly been in a work context.
05:51You know, I kind of try and work hard
05:53and I've been promoted at work three times in the last three years.
05:56So it's kind of like throwing myself into work a lot of the time
05:59but not so much on the personal side of things.
06:01So I think this was an opportunity to do something
06:03that was for me, I guess, in a way.
06:05You know, my wife has been working on stuff as well separately
06:09in terms of setting up a local organisation and things like that.
06:12So that was kind of her thing.
06:13And I thought, actually, it'd be nice for me to do something for me as well
06:17that's like my own thing and, you know, separate
06:18because we do a lot of things together.
06:20And this kind of was a good sort of opportunity to do that.
06:23Nice. What is it you do for work?
06:25So I work for an energy advice charity.
06:27My role actually just changed just before Christmas there to team leader.
06:32So I've kind of been starting off the year with learning to dance
06:35and then learning to lead as well.
06:37So in both, yeah, two senses of the word.
06:40So, yeah, it's been an interesting challenge so far.
06:44But, yeah, I've been really enjoying, you know, getting stuck in and going for it.
06:49Yeah, quite right.
06:50And you said you went on a solo trip.
06:51Where did you go?
06:52I did, yeah.
06:53I went to Croatia.
06:54Very nice.
06:55Just toured the whole country.
06:56Lovely. How long were you away for?
06:58Just a week.
06:59So I didn't want to push myself too much, but a week was fine.
07:02So, yeah, but I ended up in Inverness Airport
07:05and was like, I don't know if I quite want to do this anymore.
07:08And was actually just going to ask to, like, leave.
07:11I just felt like I couldn't do it.
07:12But, yeah, I just stuck with it and off I went and had a great time.
07:17Amazing.
07:18So that kind of resilience and pushing through, which will do you good for this.
07:21Yeah.
07:21Because I think, how are you feeling?
07:22We're now, at this point of recording, four weeks in.
07:28Yeah, we're one quarter of the way there.
07:30One third.
07:31One third of the way there.
07:33We get 12 weeks training, right?
07:3512 weeks paid for, but it is longer.
07:36We're not sure if it's a quarter or a third.
07:38We're not good with numbers.
07:43Yeah, how is it four weeks in?
07:45Is the stress starting to build?
07:46Because obviously it's not just dancing we're doing, it's fundraisers too.
07:49How is juggling everything going?
07:51It's quite intense.
07:52I personally get stuck in my head a little bit sometimes with, like,
07:56putting myself down a little bit in terms of, you know,
07:58feeling like going into this.
08:00I thought I was quite coordinated and they're like,
08:01how can you not work out your hands and your feet and the timing and stuff?
08:05But then you then go in the next time and you're doing great.
08:08So it's just that keeping practicing and practicing and practicing,
08:11I think, is going to be the key to a lot of it.
08:13I find when I come out of a lesson, I'm terrible.
08:17But then I find not doing it for a week or not thinking about it for a week,
08:20when I then have to go and do the move again,
08:22I'm a lot better at it because I don't think I'm overthinking
08:25what she's trying to get me to do.
08:27It's just tapping my feet twice.
08:29But it's amazing how much you can overthink tapping your feet twice.
08:32I think it does help that way.
08:33And then having something else to add on,
08:34you're not so stressed about what you learned before.
08:37That becomes easier because the new thing feels harder.
08:40Yeah.
08:41And I think as well, for us and probably other couples as well,
08:45is I set up the tripod and record our dances each week.
08:49And it's even like we're only on week four, but massive difference.
08:54Yeah, it's been great watching stuff back.
08:56And even just the difference between like two weeks can be quite a lot.
09:01I would say the confidence in yourself in particular,
09:04for sure, from week one to now.
09:06To be fair, you're really good at boosting me in that way
09:08because it is quite a strange thing to do when you've not done it before,
09:12especially with someone you don't know.
09:14But you're really good at making me feel comfortable
09:16and feeling better in myself to just go for it.
09:21Have you got much dancing experience?
09:24No, no, other than in the pub and that's about it.
09:28But no, nothing at all.
09:31It's good that you support each other in that sort of way.
09:34Yeah.
09:34And when it comes to kind of like the fundraising,
09:37I would say, I don't know, speaking on behalf of us both,
09:41but yeah, I think it's probably I'm more worried about that
09:44than the actual dancing, to be honest.
09:48It's a lot.
09:49And I think as well, I'm quite bad at comparing myself to others.
09:52So I'm looking at everyone else's totals at events
09:55and I'm like, oh, have I got enough?
09:58I'm the same.
09:58And then I'm like scrolling way to the bottom of the list
10:01and I'm like, there I am.
10:04You know, you like being at the top.
10:08I don't know.
10:09I've not looked.
10:10And to be honest, I'm probably not going to look.
10:13And now that I've done it once, I just think it's not that much.
10:15But I'm like, OK, that's my win.
10:17I'm going to take it nice and early now before.
10:22Because yeah, I mean, some people's ambitions are really high.
10:25Yeah.
10:26Like Michaela wants to do a whole music festival, doesn't she?
10:30She is doing a whole music festival.
10:30Well, she is.
10:31Yeah, yeah.
10:33Which is like nuts when you think about the timescale.
10:36Yeah.
10:37And the organisation.
10:38Do you know what I mean?
10:38Like we are becoming event planners as well as dancers, doing your day job.
10:43Yeah.
10:44Sleeping, eating, having a social life.
10:47What's that?
10:49My social life involves just me and Netflix.
10:51I've been watching a lot of Lost, which is not very relaxing at all.
10:56But what are your fundraisers you've got planned?
11:00So for me, I've got a few things with my corporate sponsors.
11:04So because my work's a charity, I wasn't able to pursue that route.
11:07But I've got a corporate sponsor, which is one of the pubs in Forest
11:14who are going to put on a quiz for me.
11:16Stammering?
11:16No, not Stammering.
11:17Mosset.
11:18Mosset.
11:19They're going to do a quiz night for me.
11:23They hold a regular quiz every week.
11:24So they're hopefully going to get most of that crowd and a few extra from my side.
11:30And I've also got a music bingo as my other kind of main thing.
11:33I've got a few other like smaller things like going outside Tesco and collecting money.
11:38And I'm going to run the half marathon in a few weeks as well.
11:43In a costume, a fancy dress costume.
11:45Yeah, you should see this costume.
11:47No, it's actually, it's like a disco, shiny disco outfit.
11:51So there'll be interesting photos after that.
11:54Yeah.
11:55So yeah, hopefully I'll get some support for doing it.
11:57Can you not just roll if it's a disco ball?
11:59Yeah, I mean, at least I was thinking it kind of looks like, you know,
12:02those like fire blanket things.
12:03Yeah.
12:05But I'm going to be doing that through the whole thing.
12:07So hopefully it's not like absolutely blazing sunshine.
12:12Roasting, yeah.
12:14But yeah, so that'll be, that'll be good fun, I think.
12:17Yeah.
12:17But yeah, we were talking about this before.
12:20It's quite a big commitment for your family and friends.
12:23And especially when you're thinking about events plus going to see us on the night
12:27and people at work and things like that.
12:29You're asking the same people to contribute.
12:32So I've been kind of trying to think of ways to tap into other like groups
12:38or randoms and, you know, things like that just where I can.
12:40But I've been so humbled so far in terms of how much people have been willing to put in for me.
12:47You know, I've, my initial goal was just to get to the thousand
12:50and I'm pretty much there already, even though January is quite a long month.
12:54And, you know, obviously just after Christmas.
12:55So I'm quite pleased in that sense,
12:58from a personal point of view with where I think where things have gone.
13:01So we're quite fortunate though, because being in Forest and being in Elgin,
13:05we are in a somewhat different market.
13:07Yeah.
13:08Yeah, we were saying in terms of like, you know,
13:11and yeah, we're probably quite lucky that we're not pursuing the same organisations
13:15for like raffle prizes and stuff,
13:17when there's probably another like 30 people that are just going to the same places over and over.
13:21Yeah, I've had a few people that I've contacted and they'll come back and say,
13:24oh, I'm sorry, but I think I've been someone else.
13:27So yeah, but yeah, from being from Keith,
13:30like I thought about maybe doing some events back there,
13:32but just because they don't get use of the hospice on where they are,
13:38I don't reckon I'd get much kind of interest from back home.
13:42Maybe support for you, you know,
13:43because I guess that would be maybe the closest.
13:47The Highland Hospice for people in Keith.
13:49I have no idea if there is one kind of over that direction or not.
13:52Aberdeen.
13:54Yeah, I have no idea.
13:55Yeah.
13:56What are you doing for events?
13:58So I have got, well, we have got an ice disco organised for the 15th of March.
14:06So that'll be good.
14:07Got a few tickets sold already.
14:08It's just been published, so I'm sure it'll be busy.
14:12Where can people find it?
14:13So it's on my social media.
14:16It has also been shared on the Inverness Ice Disco page
14:21and What's Happening Inverness page as well.
14:25So you'll see it on there.
14:27I also have a ceilidh organised as well at Dermot City
14:31and that's on the 19th of April, which has been quite popular so far.
14:35That's great.
14:35So I'm hoping we can get it.
14:36That'll be a really great night actually, I'm looking forward to that.
14:38Yeah, I can't wait.
14:40I've managed to get my friend's band, Northward Music, to do it.
14:44So yeah, they're delighted to be doing that and hosting that.
14:49Lovely.
14:50So lots of plans happening then.
14:51I would say so, yeah.
14:53As Wade says, we did a backpack at the weekend.
14:57Well, not a backpack, but just presents at Tesco's
15:02and we managed to raise quite a lot out of even just doing that.
15:05So it's obviously targeting people that we also don't know.
15:09I mean, the thing is, the money's going to a good place.
15:11So it's like, why not?
15:12Yeah, we definitely noticed that when we were outside Tesco,
15:16there was a lot of people, because we had the roller banner,
15:18a lot of people were like, oh, I've been supported by hospice before
15:21or know people that have.
15:22So, you know, there was quite a lot of good willingness to contribute.
15:26And it was kind of funny because you think, oh, people don't have change anymore.
15:30But actually, it's surprising how many people do still
15:33have coins or notes as well that they were willing to pop in.
15:37And I think it's good as well.
15:38We've got the QR codes now made up as well.
15:41We had a few people asking for card readers.
15:43Obviously, we're not going to do that.
15:45But yeah, QR codes went down really well.
15:47Yeah, we got a few donations from that as well, didn't we actually?
15:50Yeah, we got a good bit.
15:51That's a good idea.
15:52Okay, we're going back to Tesco's.
15:53I haven't told you about that yet.
15:55I don't want to give you the idea.
15:57Well, we've got it now.
15:59We'll edit it out.
16:02We'll keep this arty.
16:04It's been really interesting seeing what other people are doing, though.
16:08I wouldn't have even thought of some of the ideas that people have come up with.
16:10Yeah, I know.
16:11It's just, yeah.
16:12Yeah, there's a lot.
16:13There is a lot.
16:14And I think that's a quite good thing is that it is very varied.
16:17Yeah.
16:17Because we've got an ice game party too.
16:19But I think that it's really popular.
16:21And our one's 22nd of February.
16:24Well, it certainly could be on that.
16:25I got rejected.
16:26Yeah, he did.
16:27I promised him that he could be part of it, but he also promised my partner.
16:31And then I was like, sorry, you're getting kicked off.
16:35It's just going to be my partner now.
16:38So yeah, the ice game party.
16:39I think you'll always get kids.
16:40Yeah, because Danny and Natalie have just had one and they said it was a big success.
16:45So at least, obviously, your one's next.
16:46Yeah, ours.
16:47So, but I think it's actually cheaper for people to come to the ice.
16:52This goes that way than going through the ice.
16:54So, yeah, we'll see how it goes.
16:57I know.
16:57Hopefully, fingers crossed.
16:58I know there's quite a lot.
17:00Sorry.
17:02Yeah, you're way ahead.
17:04I've got a speed dating event, which is good.
17:05But there's only obviously a limited amount of people that can come to the event that
17:09you're having.
17:10But it's been trickling away.
17:11I'm getting there little by little.
17:12I think it's because it's, obviously, we are in February now, but I think it's still slow.
17:17It's the month of love.
17:21If you would hope it will work.
17:22Is it actually on Valentine's?
17:24It's on the two days after Valentine's, Sunday the 16th.
17:27So all the women's spaces are full.
17:29We're about halfway with men.
17:31So just a few more.
17:31So hopefully.
17:32But the thing is, I haven't really necessarily set any rules on age.
17:37Because you don't want to disqualify anyone.
17:40So I'm really hoping it will just go well.
17:44And by the time this is out, we will know how well it's gone.
17:48So how much capacity and stuff have you got for that?
17:50Just 20 people.
17:51So quite a little because it's a grain and grind.
17:53So 10 each or?
17:5410 each.
17:55Yeah.
17:55So that's the plan is to do that.
17:57But if it's really popular and I get more people emailing, I'll maybe just get a little
18:01waiting list and then do another one.
18:04And then I can just do it in a couple of weeks because they were quite up for it as well.
18:08So yeah, pitch it out to a grain and grind.
18:11And then Bernadette will do a very good coffee.
18:12It's been very good to me.
18:14It's been great as well just seeing everyone supporting each other as well.
18:17Because although there's a bit of a competitive thing to it,
18:20everyone's still going to each other's events as well.
18:23So it's nice that, you know, and we've got a social planned with everyone soon as well,
18:28which would be nice because although we've got our kind of separate nights for the show,
18:34and I feel like I know that group quite well,
18:36I feel like I don't really know anyone from the other night that much.
18:40Friday.
18:41Yeah.
18:43There was someone that came in for their group dance after we'd finished our jive
18:48and I didn't recognize them, but they were speaking to other people.
18:50And I was like, oh, that must be a Strictly person.
18:52And it's just someone I just hadn't really seen before.
18:54Yeah.
18:55Are you guys going to the social event?
18:58Because it's the same night as my ice skating party.
19:01So I'll be there.
19:02Good.
19:04I might join after, we'll see.
19:06If it depends, because the skating's from like 6.15 till 7.45.
19:10Ah, so yeah, not too long.
19:11So you could probably pop along.
19:12We'll probably still be a bit early.
19:13Yeah, yeah.
19:16Okay, I'll see you then.
19:17Yeah, that'll be good.
19:19But I think it's good.
19:19I think it's good to do these little social things.
19:21So we're having a bit of downtime.
19:23Yeah, definitely.
19:24And can talk about it all.
19:26Because otherwise, you're just working, really.
19:30Well, yeah, I mean, you need to be around people that know what you're going through.
19:33You know what I mean?
19:34Yeah.
19:35Camaraderie.
19:36Camaraderie, that's the word, yeah.
19:38I mean, we said it to you when we came in, like, I am exhausted.
19:41Yeah.
19:41I am just tired 24-7 at the moment.
19:44And I think you said you are as well.
19:45Yeah, I'm absolutely knackered, because I've said this every episode as well,
19:49but I decided to also purchase my first house the same week that Air Strictly began.
19:53Ah, yeah.
19:54So that's moving in a few, like, I'm moving in a couple of weeks.
19:57And that's just, like, having to do all your practical stuff for that, too.
20:01Yeah.
20:02Get, like, a day off somewhere to, like, move everything.
20:05Yeah.
20:06I feel like, though, when we get to June, we're all going to be lost.
20:09What are we going to do?
20:10What are we going to do?
20:12I have no idea.
20:13My notifications will significantly decrease, I'm sure.
20:15Not another WhatsApp group.
20:18No more emails.
20:20But I mean, what are you hoping to have?
20:21Like, what are you hoping to achieve personally off of it?
20:24By the end of May, when we've done it all, what is it?
20:29What's in it for you guys?
20:30What are you?
20:32I think I'd just like to do well, you know, and prove that I can do something like this.
20:38You know, I'd be quite happy just to have gone in there and said,
20:41I've done my best and, you know, have a new skill that,
20:44an experience that I can take away with me for the rest of my life, I guess.
20:50Yeah, gain confidence, I would say.
20:53Just be proud of what I've done and what I've raised.
20:58So yeah, that's about it, I'd say.
21:00Yeah, I think ultimately, I guess it's trying to remember it's all for charity,
21:04because it's easy to get wrapped up in the other stuff about it.
21:07But I think we're all doing a great job.
21:10And, you know, although it's taken quite seriously, so it feels quite authentic.
21:14So you're sometimes forgetting about that aspect of it a little bit.
21:18But ultimately, we're doing a great job for
21:21an organisation that does a lot of good work and kind of needs that support.
21:24So it's nice to be able to contribute in that sense as well.
21:27Definitely, there is that intrinsic part to it.