30 November 2023 , 16:23
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Girls Aloud let their hair down with Spice Girl's Melanie C as the UK's best girl band pop stars came together for a night of fun and inclusivity.
Smirnoff's WE DO US Live launch had a star-studded line-up with Girls Aloud stars Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle and Nicola Roberts as well as Strictly Come Dancing's Layton Williams, Roman Kemp and Vick Hope. There were performances from Mel C, who finished off the night with a bang by taking over the decks, Eurovision star Mae Muller, Little Mix's Leigh-Anne Pinnock and singer-songwriter Kamille.
The crowd went wild for the Spice Girls icon as she remixed Who Do You Think You Are while drag performers danced on stage. She finished the night with an emotional sing-along to 2 Become 1.
Layton Williams and Nicola Roberts were among the party-goers (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Smi)
Nadine Coyle celebrated the Smirnoff 'We Do Us' initiative (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Smi)Earlier in the evening, DJ sets from Lou Bru and Drag Race’s Jonbers Blonde had kept the excitement going as Drag Syndrome took to the stage and then the dance floor, encouraging the crowd to get moving.
Smirnoff partnered with Tilting the Lens and Sink The Pink for the big night which saw London's 26 Leake Street venue transformed into a fully accessible night clue complete with BLS interpreters, accessible bar and accessible toilets. Taking into consideration different needs at every stage, the venue included a quiet space for a moment of calm, a dedicated viewing platform for wheelchair users, step-free access to the venue.
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Melanie C finished the night with a DJ set (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Smi)
Kimberley Walsh looked sensational at the glitzy do (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Smi)All the staff were also trained in Disability awareness. Comedian Fats Timbo and actor Layton Williams hosted the night while celebrity guests included Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, Sex Education actor George Robinson and Sistine Stallone.
Sinéad Burke, CEO and Founder of Tilting the Lens, said: “Smirnoff’s commitment to implementing measurable changes in accessibility, by working with Disabled people, is a much-needed approach to a sector. Viewing accessibility not merely as a measure of compliance, but one of community and creativity so Disabled people can be who they are, as they are, not merely for one night only.”