A VOCAL harmony group have raised £2,000 for Parkinson’s UK in honour of one of its members.
Castle Bromwich-based Spectrum joined forces with the charity after it was nominated by one of their members, Graham Ridsdill, who has lived with the condition for six years.
They raised funds through ticket sales and donations by singing at a variety of shows through the past year.
Graham said: “I’ve been singing all of my life, however I have had to recently leave the group, due to my Parkinson’s making it too difficult to sing for long periods of time.
“My throat tightens up and my voice just gives out – but I do still try to sing whenever I can as I love it so much.
“We are all so happy with the amount raised and hope that it will go towards finding a cure and helping people with Parkinson’s”.
Parkinson’s is a neurological condition for which there is currently no cure and it affects over 12,000 in the West Midlands.
Parkinson’s UK’s mission is to find a cure and improve life for those affected by the disease through research, information, support and campaigning.
Gayle Kelly, regional fundraiser for Birmingham and the Black Country at Parkinson’s UK, said: “Nobody should have to face Parkinson’s alone – or without hope that one day we’ll find better treatments and a cure.
“The money raised means that we can be there for more people when they need us most and invest in further research that will one day bring an end to the condition.
“I was so happy to be able to go along and say thank you to Spectrum and accept this amazing cheque – and I was even treated to a few songs.”
