PUBLIC gatherings may well be postponed, but that won't stop one dance class from coming together to brush up on their moves.

Shelby Struthers, founder of HappyDays Performing Arts, has created a series of classes on Skype for all the different groups she teaches with the class.

The Wee County instructor runs sessions for dancers with additional support needs and felt it was important to keep up the routine, especially with everyone stuck at home due to the coronavirus lockdown.

And with classes being on Skype, Shelby can see everyone who has joined and everyone who is in the class can see all the other participants.

As a result everyone enjoys the feeling of being in a class while being safe at home.

Covid–19 has had a huge effect on all manner of businesses across the Wee County, including pubs, shops and cafes.

And with schools being closed for the foreseeable future – potentially until after summer – bespoke community initiatives such as HappyDays will likely prove to be a blessing to kids at home and their parents.

Shelby said: "Not only are the HappyDays members still keeping fit and active they are also still socialising, which is hugely important to me as a lot of them have built up friendships through coming to HappyDays.

"To maintain those friendships through the online classes is great.

"Since I started HappyDays, a lot of the guys that have come along have really struggled going to social things, [but] we've been going for a year and a bit now and they love coming.

"People with special needs get into a routine, so for something just to be cut, for social events just to be stopped, I didn't think it was very fair."

Shelby has been working alongside parents, Play Alloa and other support workers to set up accounts so they can add their service users and children to their specific class.

The idea for an online class actually came from a parent, who messaged Shelby saying her daughter was gutted she couldn't come to the class anymore.

She added: "The support from the families is what makes HappyDays so the fact people are making the effort to set up accounts and things means the world."

The group is made up of people from Alloa and Stirling, and there are three classes – kids, teenager and adults.

All ages are welcome with the youngest member, who attends the kids class, just five years old, while the oldest member in the adults class is 68.

Shelby has also stated that the classes are not just for HappyDays members and new members are more than welcome to join.

Contact shelbymaestruthers@hotmail.com for more information.