Strictly Come Dancing’s Shirley Ballas danced and laughed with a group of “brave” seriously ill or disabled children ahead of their charity-funded holiday of a lifetime in Florida.
The show’s head judge, 64, chatted and took selfies with the young people before they left on a specially chartered British Airways flight from Heathrow Airport to Orlando on Sunday.
For many of the children, the highlight of the Dreamflight trip will be swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove.
“Hearing about their incredible journeys and seeing their excitement to fly has been wonderful, I hope they have an amazing time.”
The children, aged between eight and 14, were also welcomed with music played by a band, police dogs and emergency fire vehicles.
Freddy Gardiner, 12, from Gateshead, told the PA news agency: “I’m very excited, I can’t wait to swim with the dolphins.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip!”
Lottie Scott, 14, from Shrewsbury, said: “I swim a lot, but I’ve never been in the water with a dolphin before so that will be the most exciting experience.”
Alex Knowles, nine, from Morecambe, added: “It’s a trip to Florida and everything is free, it’s so great, I really feel very lucky.”
Dreamflight has taken more than 6,500 children on the annual trip since 1987.
Paralympic gold medal swimmer and Dreamflight patron Liz Johnson, who went on the trip as an 11-year-old in 1997, said: “I am forever humbled that I have the opportunity to play my part and give back to something that has had such a profound impact on me and everyone involved.”
