UCLan saw staff, students, and the community gather together in solidarity with a global movement to end violence against women.

Annual One Billion Rising for Justice event came to Preston on Valentines Day, 14 February.

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Welcoming everyone together to dance the ‘Break the chain’ choreography, this year it was instructed by World Salsa Dance champion Phil Kaila.

Read more: Rarely performed Shakespeare play coming to Preston’s university

Held at Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre, the event was organised by UCLan and the Creative Communities Group (CCG).

Russell Hogarth, UCLan Honorary Fellow, co-founder and chair of the UCLan CCG, said: “Having a daughter and three granddaughters, this event is very close to my heart and one that I’m happy to support each year.

“The people of Preston dancing together are sending a message of solidarity to women everywhere.”

This year marks the 20th anniversary of One Billion Rising and the event called for people to rise, resist and unite to protest not only again violence towards woman and girls, but to address wider issues including worker exploitation, poverty, racism, refugee rights and transphobia.

The dance was shared worldwide and took place in hundreds of countries where women are entitled to justice and should feel safe.

Julie Ward, Labour NW MEP and member of the European Parliament’s Women’s Right and Gender Equality Committee, attends the event annually. She said: “There is lots of work to do and even in the year when we celebrate the centenary of women getting the vote, our lives are still too often blighted by casual sexism and targeted violence.”

Preston Mayor, Cllr Brian Rollo, also attended and joined in with the dancing.

Nigel Farnworth, event organiser and manager of the UCLan CCG, said:

“It is not often that UCLan students can dance with a Euro MP and the Mayor of Preston.

“I feel it is important to host events like this at a place of education because students and young people are the world’s future and events like this can inspire movements towards a global positive change.”

You can keep up to date with the UCLan Creative Communities Group online and on Twitter.

Did you attend the One Bullino Rising event? Have you taken part before? Let us know in the comments below