They'll play - you bring some brass

Jan 22 2007 By Paul James Chief Reporter, The Journal

A brass band will be booming out an impromptu concert tomorrow night after being inspired by The Journal's Josie Grove Appeal.

Westoe Brass Band is welcoming all comers into a South Shields church for only its second open rehearsal in 20 years to raise money for the fund.

Cornet player Keith Nicholson, a finance manager, decided to join the fundraising after reading of 16-year-old Josie's decision to refuse treatment for leukaemia and make the most of the time she has left to spend with her family.

Keith approached his fellow band members at rehearsal and about half the 25-strong group were already aware of Josie's bravery. He said the remaining musicians needed no convincing.

He said: "I've been reading the paper every day at work and I kept seeing all the articles, and because I've been in the band for a while I thought `Here's something we could do'.

"So on Tuesday night we're going to have an open rehearsal so everyone can come along and listen to the band.

We're not going to charge but any donations people make when they're there we'll pass on to the Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund. People can come along and listen for as long as they want."

Keith, 28, lives in Blaydon Burn in Gateshead with fiancée and Westoe tenor horn player Nicola Wilson, also, 28, a physiotherapist and their three-year-old daughter Eve.

Josie, 16, of Princes Street, Corbridge, Northumberland, moved the nation after she decided to forego further leukaemia treatment after two unsuccessful bone marrow transplants.

Our appeal, launched by 23-stone columnist David Banks, who is doing a sponsored slim for the fund, has now reached £5,800, all donations and sponsor for David from readers touched by Josie's story.

Keith added: "We do quite a lot of fundraising but they're usually a bit bigger and more planned. This kind of thing is something we can quickly get involved with and make a bit of a difference.

"The people in the band have got children and families. We just saw this in the newspaper and thought we could make a little bit of a difference."

The concert is taking place on Tuesday from 7.45pm at West Harton Methodist Church in Boldon Lane South Shields, and will last until around 9.30pm.