Stuart Elford, Chief Executive of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, is one of 12 local business leaders taking part in Strictly Knot Dancing 2026 for Dougie Mac by taking to the dance floor in a live show in November.
Here, Stuart gives Daily Focus readers an insight into his Strictly journey so far and why supporting Dougie Mac means so much to him.
“There are plenty of ways to meet people when you move to a new area. Learning to dance in front of hundreds of people probably isn’t the obvious choice.
But when I moved to Staffordshire earlier this year, I knew I needed to get out there, meet people and become part of the community. So, when I was asked to take part in Strictly Knot Dancing in aid of Dougie Mac, I didn’t have to think about it for long.
It also felt like a natural fit for me. I am a keen supporter of the hospice movement, having previously been chair of a hospice in Plymouth for seven years and a trustee for 10.
Dougie Mac is an organisation I have quickly come to know more about since arriving in Staffordshire. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about its work and have been lucky enough to tour the hospice. It’s one of those places where almost everyone seems to know someone who has used its services.
People have been very kind to me as I settle into life here, but I have met even more amazing people through this fundraiser.
My fellow dancers are wonderful, and I think particularly those of us who took part in the recent A Night to Remember event at Barlaston Hall will be friends for life.
That event, filmed by Channel 4 for a documentary about the restoration of the country house, was a fantastic evening with everyone coming out to support the charity, raising £33,270 which will be split between our fundraising pots.
Of course, there is also the small matter of having to learn how to dance.
We’re all relatively near the start of our dancing journeys and, when we recently did a group dance together, it was clear we were all at a fairly similar standard. That was reassuring!
My dance partner, Beth Gardner, has been fantastic. She’s giving me exactly the right amount of pushing while also being encouraging, and I’m very happy with the dance we’ll be performing.
People keep telling me that the day itself will be one of the most nerve-wracking days of my life, but that it will also feel like the best once the dance is over.
I spent 17 years as a police officer, so I’ve experienced plenty of stressful situations, but this is certainly pushing me outside my comfort zone in a completely different way.
I have friends travelling from Devon, Hampshire and Manchester to watch, and they’re all asking why I’m doing it.
The answer is simple: it’s a chance to raise money for an organisation that does incredible work, while meeting some fantastic people along the way.
We’d all love to beat last year’s £145,000 total. Whatever happens on the night, we’ll style it out.
As Amelia Earhart said: “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”
- Strictly Knot Dancing takes place at The King’s Hall, in Stoke-on-Trent, on Friday, 6 November. Tables have sold out, but some balcony tickets remain and are available via this link.
- Support Stuart’s fundraising via his JustGiving page here.
- And click here to read the Daily Focus story announcing all 12 contestants.
