I'm doing a fundraising A-thon event on Saturday 24th February 2024 from 1pm - 1am.

It's in order to help a dear musician friend of mine, Jo May (a great percussionist).

Jo came up to visit me here in Orkney in May 2020 after her sister had passed away (from cancer).

Then, exactly a year ago, Jo became very ill and was diagnosed with cancer herself. It's been a very tough year for her, and her courage has really inspired us all.

Right now, she is stage 4 cancer and is hoping to find alternative routes as her chemo has stopped working. This will be costly as it is private treatment many of us are doing fundraisers to help with the cost of the treatments.

She is still determined to fulfil her dream of touring Scotland in a campervan (energies permitting) . . .and friends have already got together to provide a camper van for the job - planned for March - and many of us intend to welcome and join her along the way.

I lost my eldest brother to cancer some years ago (he was 53) and several of my family and many friends down the years; some have also survived so I wanted to help in some way as Jo is one of the most fun, positive, generous, talented and humble people I have ever met. She really has inspired so many of us this year by her determination and courage.

So. . . the idea now is that it will be a Tweed and Various-a-thon, live streamed from Orkney.

I'm putting together approximate time slots for local folk to come and join in, live.

Jo has done zillions of brilliant spoons workshops up and down the country and really kept folk going with her Facebook workshops in lockdown:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL-YNPCtMQs

(The above link includes flautist Frances Watt who was in my 21-piece female all-singing-dancing-playing Circa Compania project I put together a few years ago).

John Hamilton of Stoneworks Orkney has been fantastic at helping to finalise logistics and ideas.

We also hope to pepper the livestream with clips of Orkney, of old photos/ short youtube clips of bands Jo played in and ones I used to play in as well. Eeeek!

RAFFLE:

There will be a grand raffle and we’ve already received so many fabulous prizes. The winning numbers will be put up on Facebook after the event and winners contacted.

The prizes will be sent to the winners direct.

Live To Your Living Room have already posted about the event and now the PR is starting to widen and engage people globally.

Folk are being SO generous with offers of help - I'm blown away.

All the money raised will be split 50/50 to Jo May and the Stoneworks local charity that John Hamilton is currently fundraising for - which is CLAN, the local cancer charity!

Any queries, please contact me:

karenstweed27@gmail.com

If you’d simply like to donate, then donate here!

Many thanks and lots of love

Karen x x x