By Betsy Everett
The 60-year musical partnership of Stan and Barbara Roocroft is known and celebrated throughout the Dales and beyond.
What may be less trumpeted – Stan is, among other things, conductor of the acclaimed Hawes Silver Band – is that through a single event, the annual Christmas charity concert in their home town of Hawes, they have, with the support of the local community, raised more than £50,000 for a host of good causes.
The popular concert started by the Roocrofts some 30 years ago has helped both local and national charities, from the hyper-local – new equipment for the doctors’ surgery – to the nationwide Motor Neurone Disease Association.
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This year it was the turn of St Teresa’s Hospice, Darlington, who benefited to the tune of £2,442, with match-funding provided by Barclays Bank as part of their community commitment.
The concert was held in the Market Hall in Hawes in December and featured Hawes Silver Band, the Aysgarth Singers – also conducted by Stan – and Young Voices, the youth choir conducted by Barbara.
Continuing the musical connection, handing over the cheque with Barbara and Stan was Barclays Bank representative Jackie Tiplady who, as a six-year-old, was one of Barbara’s piano pupils, and as a Hawes resident has been attending the Christmas concert for many years.
“We are expected by the bank to get involved with the event we are supporting, not just hand over the money, so I was selling tickets on the door and helping with the concert generally,” said Jackie. “I’ve known Barbara and Stan all my life so it was really lovely to be involved.”
Receiving the cheque was Jane Bradshaw, chief executive officer of St Teresa’s Hospice.
“I can’t tell you how much this means to us. It is very moving to have this kind of support from our local communities. The volunteers are essential to everything we do. It costs about £2 million a year to fund all our services, which range from rehabilitation work for those who are more mobile, to home care, day hospices and complementary therapies. It’s really a holistic approach, caring for the whole person and also offering family support,” said Jane.
The hospice also offers a service for children living with terminal illness, and bereavement counselling.
Grant aid from the NHS represents 30 per cent of the hospice’s income, with the remainder coming from charitable donations, fundraising events, support from community organisations and businesses, hospice shops and legacies.
