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The West Dorset Magazine, May 6, 2022
Business During the working week Danielle Mowlam specialises in estate administration in the private client department of law firm Blanchards Bailey. But at weekends, the Dorset-based legal executive dons a sequinencrusted skater dress and takes to the floor as captain of the England baton twirling team. Danielle, 26, has just returned from leading the team at the four-day European Championship in Selestat, near Strasbourg, in eastern France. She competed in individual and team events after spending hundreds of gruelling hours practicing routines. Danielle’s team was rewarded for their efforts with a silver medal and, in her individual event, Danielle made it to the final and finished in eight place. She is now preparing to compete in the World Championship in Holland in July. Danielle, who joined Blanchards Bailey in 2016, has been baton twirling since she was five. She is a member of Oasis Twirlstars, one of the UK’s leading teams, and undertakes a 110-mile round trip to their Basingstoke base every Saturday and Sunday for 14 hours of intensive training. Now a veteran member of the squad and competing
HIGH FLYER: Danielle Mowlam in action for England at the European baton twirling championships and, inset below, at her day job as an estate administrator
Danielle picking up baton to twirl her way to glory alongside teammates as young as 13, Danielle has vowed not to
retire until she has achieved everything she can. She said: “I’d quite like to coach in the future, but until then I want to go on competing at the highest level for as long as I can, but it’s hard on the body – sometimes I can’t move for a couple of days after a training session. “I absolutely love the sport and the massive commitment it requires is well worth it. To be named captain of England was a real honour.” And when she
is not training, Danielle, a private client executive specialising in estate administration, is working towards attaining her Chartered Legal Executive qualification. She said: “Some of my work colleagues think I’m a bit potty as when they go home for the night or weekend, I’ve always got my bag packed to go to the gym or to more training. “In fact, at the moment I’ve pretty much only got time for my baton twirling, work and studying for my exams.”
