03/07/2026
💃🕺 Our very own Neil is swapping motorhomes for the dance floor and donning his dancing shoes for a fantastic cause!
Neil is taking part in Strictly Sumner 2026, helping raise funds for the new Sumner Sports Pavilion. We couldn’t be prouder to cheer him on as he steps well outside his comfort zone.
If you’re following the journey, be sure to give the Strictly Sumner page a follow and show Neil and Kim some support! 💙
🕺 NEIL WHITHEAR
When he's not posting tongue-in-cheek comments on the Sumner Community page, you'll be sure to find Neil on the sidelines of a rugby field.
A passionate supporter of grassroots sport, Neil has dedicated countless hours to coaching and volunteering with Sumner Rugby. From coaching Under 6 Rippa Rugby right through to high school teams, serving as Colts Manager and Junior Rugby Club Captain, to now coaching one of the club's Year 8 girls' teams, he's helped inspire the next generation of players.
Supporting the new Sumner Sports Pavilion was never in doubt – although swapping rugby boots for dance shoes may have taken a little more convincing!
Now, with his sense of humour intact (and hopefully his rhythm improving!), Neil is stepping well outside his comfort zone to help raise funds for a project that means so much to him and the wider Sumner community.
💃 KIM GEORGINE
From Los Angeles to Sumner, Kim Georgine has built an award-winning career spanning more than 25 years across film, television and theatre.
Trained as an actor, singer and dancer at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Kim is now the founder of Cat House Films and an award-winning writer, producer and director based in Christchurch.
With a lifetime in the performing arts behind her, Kim certainly knows her way around a stage… but can she help guide Neil to a perfect score on the Strictly dance floor?
🏉🎬 He's spent years judging from the sidelines. She's spent years directing performances. Now they'll both discover what it feels like to be judged!
😂 Let's just hope the Sumner Facebook commentators are kind...