Riverside event raised over £3,500 for five-year-old cancer sufferer Joshua McCormack

Photo: Mike Burgess

Dean Pilkington singing swing

Naomi Kenyon got together with Whitworth musician Dean Pilkington and his wife Sarah, to organise a night of musical entertainment at The Riverside in Whitworth and raised over £3,500 for Joshua McCormack.

Joshua, five, from Whitworth, was diagnosed last October with a rare brain tumour, he has undergone surgery, radiotherapy and also chemotherapy for his condition.

He is a pupil at St John with St Michael CE Primary School in Shawforth where Naomi Kenyon, the latest recipient of Whitworth Town Council Jeff Ogden services to the community award, works as a teaching assistant.

Joshua's story had touched her deeply and she knew she wanted to help raise some much needed funds for him.

After a plea online they were inundated with local talent to perform at the event, with Dean Pilkington headlining, and joined by many other local musicians, including Harriet Williams, who was 'Whitworth's Got Talent' winner previously, and is a keen member of Whitworth Amateur Dramatics Society.

Dean, who has many contacts in the music world, also got his lifelong friend Martin Duffy to help out with the PA systems. Martin travelled back from Scotland for the event and donated the use of his equipment free of charge.

The event was a sell out raising a staggering £3541.50 for Joshua's fund.

Dean commented: "The support we got for this event was outstanding. Joshua is a little superstar.

"The highlight for me was the whole room joining me in the song Hey Jude, where we changed the words to Hey Dude."

Keep your eyes peeled for the next event organised by "Team Josh Mc" on Bank Holiday Sunday 29 August at Berni Inn in Whitworth.