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10 | THE REVIEW JAN–APR 2023 Theatre helps overcome anxiety Destiny Shelford-Green’s love of singing and songwriting given a boost By MELANIE LOUDEN Destiny Shelford-Green has a lot to thank the Glass Ceiling Arts Collective for. Not only has the performing arts charity encouraged Destiny to pursue her dream of becoming a singer and songwriter, it has helped her work through anxiety, become more social, and boosted her confidence. The Collective runs inclusive youth theatre programmes in Whangarei, Warkworth, Auckland, Tauranga, and Christchurch that welcome people with and without disabilities. Destiny has been a member of the South Auckland group since February 2022 and was encouraged to “go and have a look to see how you like it”. The now 14-year-old clearly liked what she saw. “I’ve been going ever since,” she says. Destiny was born at 29 weeks weighing “a pound of butter – I was very tiny”. During “a good couple of months” in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) she was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, which mainly affects her walking and balance. Surgery, carried out in America when she was six years old, enabled her to walk. Top: Destiny Shelford-Green, right pictured with Support Performer Gianni-Mia Attrill-Dowling. Photo: LK Creative Photography. Above: Participants and teaching/support staff from the Glass Ceiling Arts Collective’s South Auckland class. Opposite page from top: Destiny and Emma Bishop from Stage Antics. Fundraising helped ensure Destiny, pictured at age five, could get to America for surgery.