News / ‘Folk for James’ concert
A CHARITY concert entitled ‘Folk for James’, featuring Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham together with a host of local artists, is to take place at Clickimin next month.
The leisure centre’s bowls hall will host the event, in aid of the Anthony Nolan Trust and the ARCHIE Foundation, on Wednesday 12 November.
The value of those charities to Shetland has been brought into the spotlight due to the plight, among others, of six year old James Hawick from Nesting.
He suffers from the rare blood disorder aplastic anemia and is currently awaiting a bone marrow transplant in the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.The Anthony Nolan Trust seeks to match those requiring a transplant with potential donors globally, while the ARCHIE Foundation works with the NHS in the north of Scotland to provide support and “extras” designed to transform a child’s stay in hospital.
The concert is being promoted by the Shetland Musical Heritage Trust and will also feature Hom Bru, Bryan Gear & Violet Tulloch, Steven Robertson, the Heritage Fiddlers, the Jimmy Burgess Band, Birls Aloud, the North Ness Boys, Freda Leask & the Shoormal Band, the James Leask Band, accordionist Mike Laurenson (the current young Shetland musician of the year), Ceilidh Puckles and Megan & Lauren, a popular young vocal duo from Yell who won Shetland’s Got Talent earlier this year.
The musical heritage trust said that, although the event carries James’ name, it is aimed at helping all of those who benefit from the two charities’ services.
Chairwoman Violet Tulloch said: “This is the first time the trust have got involved in an event of this nature. However, we as a trust fully recognise the ongoing need for these kind of events and especially the desire of the local musical community in Shetland to help support important causes such as the Anthony Nolan Trust and the ARCHIE Foundation where it can.
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“So this is just the first of what may now become an annual event for the heritage trust aimed at supporting a variety of charities which have significant local resonance and impact.
“We are especially delighted that such a fantastic line up of musicians have now offered their time and services totally free of charge toward supporting this particular event and these important causes. It should be a terrific night of entertainment over and above its charitable aims.”
Tulloch added that tickets had been pegged as low as possible in the hope of keeping them affordable for families and those on a tight budget, while covering the essential costs related to promoting such an event.
- Tickets for the event, priced £15, go on sale at Shetland Box Office from 10am on Tuesday 21 October.
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