Many of you may have recognised the cover star of our very first issue as Adie Dove: dancer, leader, and an overall community hero. But there’s more to this talented and dedicated youth advocate than meets the eye.
Adie, who has been dancing since day one and attended Bodywork Company International in Cambridge, works for intoBodmin as well as leading her own projects, KBSK CIC and Breaking the Cycle.
Her work with both intoBodmin and her own companies sees her focusing a lot of time on the youth of Bodmin, encouraging them to put their energy into an activity that will benefit them - from dance to music production. She has also been selected as one of 16 women in the South West for the Women Leaders project, tackling inequality in leadership.
Breaking the Cycle is a record label for people who have a history of offending, giving them a chance to put this behind them and produce professional work with the mentorship of Adie and her team.
KBSK works in a similar way, encouraging children aged three to 18 to focus on music, dance and other creative pursuits, with Adie’s mentorship and support guiding them to become professionals in their own right, as well as benefiting their physical and mental health.
“Witnessing young people who have such little confidence and how much they grow is exactly why I do it,” Adie said. “It’s more than just dance, it teaches you how to stand with your head up and truly love yourself - it’s a support network.”
One thing Adie would love to see more of in Bodmin is additional youth work and for the town to be a safe space for young people. She would like to see more people from the community come together to support this.
She added: “You can make a difference and you can change the path of a young person’s life. You can’t change everything, but you can provide an opportunity. Some of the young people, if supported in the right way, can easily excel.
“It’s about equal respect. If people feel involved and listened to, they’re not going to damage something they’ve worked hard for when they feel part of a community. It’s about giving them the tools to change.”
Main image: Matt James Media
Got a community news story you'd like to share with us for our website or magazine? Email the details to rosie@bodminlife.com