A local dancer from Manchester has been invited to judge the national disability charity Sense’s annual awards.
The Sense Awards has been running for 22 years and celebrates the achievements of disabled people with complex needs and those that support them. There are nine categories open for public nominations, including ‘Person of the Year’, ‘Campaigner of the Year’, and ‘Young Sibling of the Year’. You can find out more about this year’s Awards on the Sense website.
The shortlist and winners are decided by a panel of disabled judges, and this year one of those is local man Shaun Hayward. Shaun, 58, is singer-songwriter and medal-winning ballroom and Latin American dancer. A regular on TV and in the media, Shaun was the first blind dancer to qualify and compete at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Shaun, who is on social media as ‘Sir Blimey’, has enjoyed a long career in music production, running a studio in Leeds. He’s now making a new album, with his guide dog, Kevin, by his side.
Shaun Hayward said:
“Sense is a lovely charity and it’s great these Awards exist to celebrate the achievements of disabled people with complex needs. I’m all about positivity and passion and celebrating what disabled people like me can and do achieve every day, so I’m looking forward to reading the nominations and cheers-ing the winners!”
Shaun is among a team of other disabled judges who will decide the shortlist and winners for this year’s Sense Awards. His fellow judges include Strictly Come Dancing finalist Tasha Ghouri, award-winning scientist Max Fisher, and one of the BBC’s 100 Women of 2024 Roxy Murray.
