MDI is thrilled to announce that they have been nominated for a Morecrofts Merseyside Independent Business award for the work they have been doing in communities across Liverpool.

The Merseyside Independent Business (MIB) Awards is the only ceremony in the region to celebrate the achievements of independent businesses. The awards ceremony take place on Thursday, 1st October at the Rum Warehouse, Stanley Dock, Liverpool.

Nominated alongside The Choir With No Name and We Make Places, the community award is supported by the Mayor of Liverpool.

Karen Gallagher MBE, artistic director said of the nomination:

“Dance has such a universal offer and having the work that we do on a regular basis with people we care about endorsed in this way by business is amazing. MDI is a social business and has the health and wellbeing of its community at its heart”.

Alongside their nomination, MDI were also honoured with a generous donation from HMS Liverpool earlier this year. The donation comes after staff from the company nominated MDI to receive the award after being impressed by their efforts in engaging communities, particularly in teaming up with the English National Ballet to lead Dance for Parkinson’s sessions.

The sessions have been running at MDI for two years and it has been proven to be beneficial in aiding treatment of the disease.

MDI is holding a taster session for anyone interested in finding out more about these sessions on Thursday, 1st October. Full details of this can be found on the MDI website.

Managing director at HMS, Paul Worthington, said:

“Our work is all about improving communities so being able to offer support to organisations that make a big difference in neighbourhoods too is a great bonus.”

MDI has also been named as a nominated charity in Nationwide’s August and September Community Match Scheme. Customers to any nationwide branches across Liverpool, Bootle and Runcorn can, throughout these months, lend their support to MDI when in the branch. Each nominated charity will receive £100, with the charity that has received the most support across the two months receiving a further £500.

In other funding news, MDI is excited to be part of a successful Grants for the Arts application. The organisation will work alongside Fevered Sleep, The Light Cinema in New Brighton and other Wirral community partners on developing An Infinite Line – Merseyside linking communities with their coastal environment to get people moving outdoors.

Rachel Rogers, project development manager says:

“It’s great to be linking a national company and local partners in a project that boosts wellbeing through getting people out and about to appreciate the beautiful natural environment in Merseyside.”

A short film of the project will be screened at The Light in the late autumn.

Fresh from these successes MDI is looking forward to a busy autumn. With a brand new studio timetable just about to start, filled with brand new classes as well as old favourites. The organisation is hosting VITAL! – an evening celebrating dance by older people at the Bluecoat on September 25th; and looking further into Autumn their annual Bend Down Low community showcase will return on November 21st to round off their 21st anniversary year – and what a year it has been!

Details of all classes and events can be found on the MDI website www.mdi.org.uk