Sibling ukulele duo perform for Wolverhampton hospice
A ukulele-playing sibling duo are playing at a concert in South Staffordshire next week to raise money for a hospice.
Jack and Carol Pritchard, aged 74 and 69, will perform at Chillington Hall, near Brewood, on September 19 for Compton Care.
The charity, based in Wolverhampton, provides care to those living with complex and incurable conditions and their families.
The siblings perform under the band name Just Us: The Recycled Teenagers, as they mainly play songs from when they were teenagers.
And when Covid-19 hit, the siblings refused to let the music stop and rehearsed in a garage for six months to keep their show "in top condition".
The pair, from Netherton, have always done work for charity, but for Jack, it was even more important when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
"I was one of the lucky few who caught it in time," the 74-year-old said, adding it was during this time when he learned of the crucial work of hospices. He added: "I saw what the hospice can do. They're unsung heroes."
The duo can often be found busking on the streets of Dudley to raise money for charities such as the Mary Stevens Hospice, in Stourbridge, as well as performing in social clubs and care homes.
Jack and Carol are particularly popular in care homes, as Jack said: "Lots of care home residents have dementia, and they associate ukuleles with their younger years.
"We do lots of medleys where they join in, things like Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue and I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts. We get the residents involved as much as we can."
Carol, aged 69, who taught herself how to play the piano when she was 11, has always been a keen supporter of charities. She was particularly sad when she became too busy to continue volunteering at the Beacon Centre for the Blind in Stourbridge.
She said: "I used to make them laugh. I think they were sorry to see me go. They say I always have a smile on my face."
The sibling duo will perform for free on the private estate – where a 5k memory walk will also be taking place. It costs £12 to take part in the walk, or a £40 for a family ticket – two adults and up to four children.
The event starts at 11am on September 19. For more information, visit comptoncare.org.uk/support-us/fundraiseforus/events/memory-walk/.
