A TALENTED musician dedicated her performance to frontline hospice and health staff as she took her music to the airwaves in a concert designed to lift spirits during the pandemic.
Singer/songwriter Harriet (Hatty) Bradshaw sang and played piano and guitar during a 30 minute online concert, part of a series of digital gigs called Darlo@home organised by Tracks Darlington.
She told over 800 people who have now watched her performance of Yourself and Nobody Else: “This is for all the lovely staff at St Teresa’s and in the NHS who are doing such a great job caring for people during this terrible period. I hope you give them all a clap every Thursday at 8pm for their efforts.”
Hatty, 28, has enjoyed music since she was a child and also plays cello for several acts including Nel Unlit and John Bramwell. She teaches piano at Egglescliffe School, Eaglescliffe, as well as writing and performing her own music as HJM Bradshaw, in a style she describes as eclectic.
Her latest performance can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/tracksdarlington/videos/550245985674853/.
“It was the first time I’d performed online and it was a bit strange,” said Hatty, whose mother Jane is chief executive of St Teresa’s Hospice.
“I was thrilled so many people tuned in and I know there were a lot of hospice staff watching which was lovely. I have been volunteering at the hospice since I was a child and love the place.
“They have had to cancel or postpone so many events so fundraising has become really difficult. They are doing a brilliant job keeping everything going in very difficult circumstances. I hope people do think about their plight and I believe it is really important to promote such a vital local charity.”
Jane said: “I wasn’t expecting Hatty to give a shout out to our staff and NHS workers and it was a lovely surprise and a heart-felt tribute which, I know, was greatly appreciated. I was too busy being nervous for her whilst hiding in another room as she did the broadcast.
“She knows only too well how difficult this period is for St Teresa’s and all charities as we rely on public donations yet our ability to fundraise has been hit hard. I’m so pleased she did her bit to bring this to the attention of her audience as she performed a session which really did lift the spirits.”
St Teresa’s Hospice needs to raise £3m a year to provide free day, in-patient and community care for people living with life-limiting illnesses and their families in Darlington, South Durham and North Yorkshire.
It launched an emergency appeal when the pandemic struck including a Just Giving page, https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/HugToStTs. Members of the public can also become official ‘Friends of the Hospice’ and obtain fundraising packs offering ideas to help raise money during lockdown.