Robert Webb
Cloughton Rat Pack on lockdown!
Fundraising for Saint Catherine's Hospice (Scarborough)
Story
Ey up...hope you’re all as well as you can be and looking after yourselves and those close to you. What crazy, scary times we’re all in to say the least. Well, here we go, most of our friends know why we do what we do and the history and purpose behind it. We are a group of mates who came together to make music, laughs and cash for our chosen charity. We’ve all been moved by having loved ones or mates spend time in our ‘Hosspiss’, St Catherine’s Hospice. (Yeah, I know it’s ‘Hospice’ but little things please little minds, and simply wanted to help.)
Now more than ever, our Hospice needs our help. As a charity, it relies heavily on donations and fundraising events, which are currently on hold in these difficult times. The Cloughton Rat Pack and King Willy’s Big Band want to play their part and have created our very own ‘Lockdown Big Band’!!! Please follow the link and add some ‘Sunshine’ to your day!
https://youtu.be/As_2qWf5ZCQ
Below is our story:
Our story started in about 2007 when we sadly lost a great mate called Mick Readman. This was the first introduction to St. Catherine’s Hospice. After visiting Mick, as many of us did, I slowly stopped holding my breath as much as I walked up to reception and I saw the love, dignified purpose and huge benefit it gave to folk in times of great emotional pain, worry and sadness. We wanted to do something to commemorate our mate, we wanted to give back to what by now over time was a not so scary place that unbelievably gives its services for free. So, we set out to buy an electric chair (no, not that kind of electric chair like 'Old Smokey') but the remotely operated one that lies flat, lifts you up and is huge enough for you to cuddle your loved one in and drop off to sleep with them in your arms. After asking the cost, we found out it was approx. £3000-4000!! So, a few days later standing at the Red Lion bar in Clowntown we collectively had £16.50 and a huge bar tab between us....and so it began.
We started the Mick Readman memorial cricket matches, managing to raise £8500 and allowing our Hospice to buy two of the electric chairs. Then a year or two later, after we exhausted every contact we had, every favour owed, any freebie that we could auction or raffle off we wanted to help generate more money as sadly our list of loved ones we had lost grew larger. The common denominator in all this was the scary place where they all went towards the end; our overwhelming feeling of absolute gratitude was immense. But what we were doing just wasn't enough to show how we felt about what they did for the ones we love in times of sorrow.
So, under the often drunken but expert guidance of Mark Gay (RIP x) we actually formed a band…us lot in a band???? But you see, the talent musically in our little hamlet is incredible, we had proper musicians on our doorstep and I mean really gifted individuals: Will, Lisa, Claire, Mark, Doc Robinson, Pete Lassey, Rob and Rob to name a few. Over the years only a few have left but incredibly most have stayed with us to this very day, and have also introduced mates of equal incredible standing and talent Rob, Diane, Elle, Whitby Pete, Chris, Will, Martin, Gemma who we now refer to it as our 'big dysfunctional family'. They're the ones with the real ability.
Mark Gay's passing was very sad, his talent helped start this thing of ours and he is greatly missed by all. But we were so very lucky to have an 'heir apparent' and someone Mark admired greatly and that's Will Oseland, his talent literally has no boundaries. So now you know a brief history of how and why The Cloughton Rat Pack and King Willy's Big Band were formed, a digger driver, a pipe bender, a farmer, an ex-copper and a biker...some say a modern day 'Village People' 😂😂.
It's no secret that everyone who comes and sees our shows usually knows us and our story and can associate with us. They feel part of it as often our loss is their loss, as a small community we drink, laugh and cry together, we dedicate our shows to celebrate the lives of lost loved ones, hence we raise a glass to absent friends and family religiously, but sadly the list grows year on year. All the money in the world sadly doesn’t bring our loved ones back, but it does make the lives of the poorly people up at St Catherine’s ‘Hosspiss’ a little easier, it needs people that care and that will go outta their way to help others.
Over the years collectively as a group of mates, (and others) we have raised over £178,500 for St Catherine’s ‘Hosspiss’ and, during these difficult times, we still want to do our bit. So please in these difficult times can you support our St Catherine's Hospice again by giving anything you can, no matter how small to our just giving page. This year we obviously won't hit our yearly support target but remember: We Do This S**t Cos We Care...thank you.
Below is our story:
Our story started in about 2007 when we sadly lost a great mate called Mick Readman. This was the first introduction to St. Catherine’s Hospice. After visiting Mick, as many of us did, I slowly stopped holding my breath as much as I walked up to reception and I saw the love, dignified purpose and huge benefit it gave to folk in times of great emotional pain, worry and sadness. We wanted to do something to commemorate our mate, we wanted to give back to what by now over time was a not so scary place that unbelievably gives its services for free. So, we set out to buy an electric chair (no, not that kind of electric chair like 'Old Smokey') but the remotely operated one that lies flat, lifts you up and is huge enough for you to cuddle your loved one in and drop off to sleep with them in your arms. After asking the cost, we found out it was approx. £3000-4000!! So, a few days later standing at the Red Lion bar in Clowntown we collectively had £16.50 and a huge bar tab between us....and so it began.
We started the Mick Readman memorial cricket matches, managing to raise £8500 and allowing our Hospice to buy two of the electric chairs. Then a year or two later, after we exhausted every contact we had, every favour owed, any freebie that we could auction or raffle off we wanted to help generate more money as sadly our list of loved ones we had lost grew larger. The common denominator in all this was the scary place where they all went towards the end; our overwhelming feeling of absolute gratitude was immense. But what we were doing just wasn't enough to show how we felt about what they did for the ones we love in times of sorrow.
So, under the often drunken but expert guidance of Mark Gay (RIP x) we actually formed a band…us lot in a band???? But you see, the talent musically in our little hamlet is incredible, we had proper musicians on our doorstep and I mean really gifted individuals: Will, Lisa, Claire, Mark, Doc Robinson, Pete Lassey, Rob and Rob to name a few. Over the years only a few have left but incredibly most have stayed with us to this very day, and have also introduced mates of equal incredible standing and talent Rob, Diane, Elle, Whitby Pete, Chris, Will, Martin, Gemma who we now refer to it as our 'big dysfunctional family'. They're the ones with the real ability.
Mark Gay's passing was very sad, his talent helped start this thing of ours and he is greatly missed by all. But we were so very lucky to have an 'heir apparent' and someone Mark admired greatly and that's Will Oseland, his talent literally has no boundaries. So now you know a brief history of how and why The Cloughton Rat Pack and King Willy's Big Band were formed, a digger driver, a pipe bender, a farmer, an ex-copper and a biker...some say a modern day 'Village People' 😂😂.
It's no secret that everyone who comes and sees our shows usually knows us and our story and can associate with us. They feel part of it as often our loss is their loss, as a small community we drink, laugh and cry together, we dedicate our shows to celebrate the lives of lost loved ones, hence we raise a glass to absent friends and family religiously, but sadly the list grows year on year. All the money in the world sadly doesn’t bring our loved ones back, but it does make the lives of the poorly people up at St Catherine’s ‘Hosspiss’ a little easier, it needs people that care and that will go outta their way to help others.
Over the years collectively as a group of mates, (and others) we have raised over £178,500 for St Catherine’s ‘Hosspiss’ and, during these difficult times, we still want to do our bit. So please in these difficult times can you support our St Catherine's Hospice again by giving anything you can, no matter how small to our just giving page. This year we obviously won't hit our yearly support target but remember: We Do This S**t Cos We Care...thank you.