We’re a pretty diverse bunch of people on building sites, from project managers to tradespeople, engineers to interior designers. As with any workplace, you get to know your colleagues and associates over time, learning about their personal interests and hobbies. So when our mate Ian McBeath, Bunnings Area Sales Manager for Southern NSW/ACT, told us about his upcoming dance performance to raise funds for the Cancer Council, we didn’t think twice about supporting him.

Despite calling himself a ‘hopeless dancer’, Ian and 13 others choreographed and performed a dance routine on-stage at Wollongong’s WIN Entertainment Centre for the Cancer Council’s 7th Annual STARS of Wollongong Community Gala Event. TP Dynamics donated $2,500 to Ian’s fundraising effort, which brought in a whopping $14,000 in total. We chatted to Ian to hear more about the event and how he came to participate. Ian is no stranger to the TP Dynamics team, having made many an onsite visit to our building sites. TP Dynamics Founder, Tony Pan, and Construction Manager, first worked with Ian about 10 years ago when we were building four homes on the hillside at North Weston.

So tell us, Ian, how did you find yourself – a self-confessed ‘hopeless dancer’ – on a huge stage in front of hundreds of people and a panel of judges?

It started out as a bit of a joke with one of the in-store trade specialists, Julian, cheering me on to do Stars of Wollongong. This went on for several months. And the woman who is the trade specialist at one of our warehouses has been a dancer since she was a little toddler. So, in the end they wore me down and I accepted the challenge.

How did the night go?

Myself and 14 other business people all did a dance routine which we had to choreograph and do make-up ourselves. We did that on the Saturday night in front of 680 invited guests and we managed to raise just about $27,000 as a group for the Cancer Council.* I raised a bit over $14,000 and it was a magnificent journey and I thank everyone that sponsored me including Tony. They are very generous. So many people that donated money touched me because when I said thank you for the donation, they said we appreciate what you're doing.
You know, friends of mine have been affected with cancer, and one of my sons got impacted by cancer. So, I took the course pretty seriously and you certainly have to step out of your comfort zone.

Do you think you would do this challenge again?

No, not in a hurry! But you wouldn't believe in three weeks I'm doing another challenge for another charity. I am doing the bloody long walk for another childhood disease and I'm walking from Stanwell Park to Wollongong with four other people. I'm trying to do it every year.

*With 1 in 2 Australians diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85, the money raised from this event will go towards Cancer Council NSW and their world-class cancer research, prevention programs, advocacy, and support services to help those affected by cancer at every point in their journey.