Ukelele band concerts help to raise money for neonatal unit

A series of fundraising concerts by the Wesley Ukulele Band has helped to raise money for the neonatal unit at the West Suffolk Hospital.

The outfit, which consists of 28 members and is based in Elmswell, collected a total of £578.81 which has been handed over the hospital charity My WiSH.

The charity was chosen as the recipient of the cash by band members and supporters Phil and Cathy Stabler, who live in Badwell Ash.

The couple said they wanted to support the West Suffolk as they have been life long campaigners raising funds for neonatal units after they lost their one-day old daughter Cara 30 years ago when she suffered from heart and lung problems.

Phil and Cathy, who are 70 and 68, used to live near Chestnut, in Hertfordshire, prior to moving to Suffolk, and said their daughter was treated at the Whittingham Hospital, near Finsbury Park, in London.

And following the treatment she received they went on a mission to raise funds for the hospital and continued that initiative after moving to Suffolk.

Phil, a former electrician, said: “The campaign is very dear to my heart especially after we lost our daughter and we’ve been raising money ever since we lived in Hertfordshire.”

The Ukulele Band, which has raised over £7,000 for charity over the past two years, are currently performing up to three concerts a month in and around Suffolk and rehearse once a week in Elmswell.

Its leader Kevin Knocks, said: “We have raised money for charities and when we perform at places people always donate money.”

My WiSH fundraising manager Sally Daniels met Phil, Cathy and the Wesley Ukulele Band who even gave her a little taster of their repertoire before presenting the charity with the donation.

She said, “It is so kind of Phil and Cathy to continue their fundraising now they have moved to Suffolk. We work closely with our neonatal unit and this money will definitely make a difference to our youngest patients and their families”.