Fylde young pianists perform for charity

Lesley, of Poulton, teamed up with piano teacher Rob Payne, of Fylde Piano Tuition, to stage a “Spring Musical Extravaganza” at Kings Church, Bispham.

Rob launched the musical part of the show with a solo piano medley before introducing a line-up of 15 of his students, aged between four and 18-years-old, who also gave solo performances.

This was combined with an interval fair arranged by Lesley that featured stalls, a raffle and other games plus the sale of home-made refreshments.

The extravaganza was staged to coincide with Lesley’s grandson Harry Rosindale’s second birthday and followed a family fun day she organised last year at Hope Church, Lytham, to mark Harry’s first birthday. It also raised funds for Baby Beat.

Lesley explained: “Harry spent his first 108 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, NICU, at the Royal Preston Hospital when he arrived in the world at just 26 weeks into my daughter Amber’s pregnancy, weighing only 800g or 1lb 12oz.

“Harry, Amber, her husband Anthony and their older son six-year-old Teddy, who live in St Anne’s, were all looked after brilliantly by the NICU team and this is my way of saying thank you. Harry is now thriving and meeting all his milestones.”

As part of the event, Lesley performed an instrumental version of the Simon and Garfunkel song “Bridge over Troubled Water”, playing the flute while Rob accompanied her on the piano. Rob also provided piano accompaniment to his wife Andrea and another vocalist, Linda Thomas, of Kings Church, who both sang. The church’s pastor, James Baker, also took to the stage to perform a Coldplay song on his guitar.

Lesley added: “Thank you to James and his wife Sam for letting us use the church, to Rob, Andrea, Linda and all the wonderful young pianists and their families who came to watch and who supported our interval activities. Thank you also to everyone who baked, donated prizes and helped on the day.”

Baby Beat is part of the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity family. It funds specialist equipment, patient services and comforts, clinical care, local research, additional training, and staff welfare projects so that the maternity and gynaecology teams can offer the best possible outcomes for babies and mums in the Central Lancashire and Chorley area. With Baby Beat’s support, NICU continues to provide exceptional care for premature and sick babies and their families from across Lancashire and South Cumbria. For further information on its work and how to support, visit www.babybeat.org.uk