A FARNHAM dance teacher has won the national title in a community champion award.

Emma Brewer, who runs First Dance Studio in Woking, won the south-east award last year in Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists We See You Community Champion Awards for bringing people together with a virtual and interactive ‘A to Z’ creative challenge.

Going up against four other regional winners, Emma has now won the national title and will receive a £1,000 cash prize.

Emma said: “This is an incredible feeling. Since winning the regional award things have been a bit crazy with lots of people getting in touch with messages of congratulations, but this is even more amazing and I’m so proud to have won.

“I started the creative challenge almost a year to the day and didn’t do it with the intention of any sort of acknowledgement or award – it was purely to help the people in our lovely community – so it’s brilliant it’s come full circle the way it has.

“Off the back of the creative challenges, we’ve launched lots of monthly and quarterly initiatives as well as a ‘book club’-style group where we meet to debate how a piece of dance has impacted us and made us feel.

“We’re also in the process of putting together an exhibition in partnership with an art studio, looking at the influence of art on dance, and likewise the influence of dance on art. We’ll be working with professional artists and will hold workshops in the community.”