Prolific buskers raise almost £13,000 for charities after playing across the Black Country

"Busketeers" Billy Spakemon, Tim Martin, and John Homer are prolific fundraisers and have dedicated their efforts this year to three different charities.

They are the Black Country Food Bank, the brain injury charity Headway, and Russell Hall Hospital's emergency department.

This month, they have raised their money by busking at The Albionn cafe in Dudley as part of the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival, as well as on the streets of Halesowen.

And this weekend, they will be performing on the Black Country Radio Stage in Brierley Hill and Sedgley, as well as at The Plough in Wollaston.

After these gigs, the buskers will reveal to the audience how much they have raised in total this month.

Prolific fundraiser Billy Spakemon, who has been busking for charity for ten years, said: "We're a great way ahead of how we were doing last year and have raised almost £13,000.

"We normally support one charity per year but this year we're doing three, including Russells Hall Hospital who we've been supporting for five years.

"I've been busking for charity for ten years, but decided to start supporting local charities five years ago, because you can see the physical results from engaging with the community."

While the group have played all across the Black Country, Billy says the streets of Halesowen are their "home".

Next month, the buskers will perform in their regular haunts: Halesowen, Russells Hall Hospital, and The Albionn.

They will also perform at a beer festival at The Plough in Wollaston on the last Sunday in August.

While playing and singing is an innate part of their work, Billy laughed: "We spend as much time listening to people's stories as we do busking."