At their annual charity gala, The Gay Men’s Dance Company, led by founder Alex Scurr, raised £500 for MindOut. The group ‘offers a creative outlet; a place to express yourself in a safe and supportive environment while keeping fit, socialising and learning to dance.’ What started out as a place for people to gain more confidence about their dance skills has developed into a supportive community that gives back to local organisations. On the GMDC section of his website, Alex notes that ‘dance can be a great way to stay fit for people of all ages, shapes and sizes. It is one of the few exercise forms that not only includes aerobic exercise, but also anaerobic. It has a wide range of physical and mental health benefits, including...reduced stress levels and improved ability to relax; and improved...general and psychological well-being, leading to a better quality of life.’ They have recently expanded to include people of all genders in many of their workshops (find more information on Facebook if you’d like to get involved). Don’t miss them at Brighton (and London) Pride.
You can donate to MindOut here. To nominate someone as a Queer Mental Health Hero, email [email protected] and follow the #QueerMentalHealthHero on Twitter or watch our Facebook page to see each week’s nominee.