Choir concert to raise cash for MND Society

The Hot House Music choir is to stage a special concert to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Society after the husband of one its members was diagnosed with the disease.

Joy Gidlow, whose husband George has the disease, was one of the first singers to join the Hot House Music choir that was set up by musician Jon Eno.

She will now be taking part in a special fundraising concert at St Peter’s Church, Swepstone, near Ashby, on Saturday 25 March.

The following day the choir will record their own version of ‘You Raise Me Up’ at Derby Grammar School as a charity single.

Proceeds from the sale will go to MND Society and My Name’5 Doddie; a charity set up to fund research into the disease by the family and friends of Scottish rugby player Doddie Weir.

Joy said: “George’s diagnosis – in July 2020 – devastated our family. All your hopes for the future are suddenly thrown out of the window because, for many families, deterioration is very rapid.

“We are lucky, I guess, that three years in, George is still ‘doing OK’ and still managing to work on our family farm. It’s been a very frustrating few years, though.

“Very little is known about MND and there has been little notable research into the disease here in the UK over the last 40 years.

“Patients are prescribed Riluzole; a drug that has been used for several years, to slow down the disease. There was a recent study that suggested a nasal spray may make a difference, but that study is still in the early stages.

“There are lots of patients in the USA who are on different drugs that have had varying degrees of success, but their licensing laws are very different to over here.

“That is why it is important to raise awareness of MND by taking part in the concert with Hot House Music, so that more research can be done.”

Jon, who is the founder of Hot House Music, said: “I have known Joy and George for several years and so have seen first-hand the devastating effects of MND on the family.

“Our choir is like a family, and we all have music in common, so what better way to raise awareness of MND and, hopefully, lots of money for charity, than performing and recording a charity single.”

The concert will take place at St Peter’s Church, Swepstone on Saturday, March 25th.

For more information and to book tickets visit here.

The charity single will be available to download from Spotify.