Trombone player hits the high notes to support hospital charity

A local musician and hospital governor has organised a concert to raise money for a hospital charity as a ‘last hurrah’.

Kevin Stewart, from Ravenshead, has been playing trombone with the Ravenshead Swing Band for 20 years. He has also served as a governor at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for nine years and has volunteered at the Trust for six. 

Kevin said: “I have now done three terms as a Trust governor, the first one being in 2014, and unfortunately my term will officially end this February. I really wanted to have one last ‘hurrah’ before I leave and raise some much-needed funds for the Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust Charity, which supports Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust.” 

The ‘Swing and Sing concert is taking place at 8pm on Friday 27 February in the newly opened Cornerstone Theatre in Sutton-in Ashfield and it promises to be an entertaining night of live ‘Big Band’ music. It will feature performances from both the Ravenshead Swing Band and the Mansfield Male Voice Choir, who have both donated their time free of charge. 

Tickets are on sale for £13.50 each and can be purchased via Ticketsource. All funds raised from the evening will go directly to the Sherwood Forest Hospitals Charity.  

Formed in 2011, The Ravenshead Swing Band is a traditional ‘Big Band’ with five saxophones, four trumpets and trombones, a rhythm section and vocalists. Their repertoire includes swing, jazz, and popular tunes from the 1940s to the 2000s. The Mansfield Male Voice Choir have been around since 1944, and they perform a wide variety of music including popular songs and musical theatre numbers.

Kevin continued, “I am delighted that the Mansfield Male Voice Choir and Ravenshead Swing Band have agreed to donate their time free of charge, and that the Academy Transformation Trust Further Education (ATTFE) college have gifted us use of their Cornerstone theatre for the night. It is thanks to their kindness that this event can happen.”

Liz Barrett, Principal of ATTFE college, and Lead Governor at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has provided the theatre free-of-charge on the night. She commented on how important it is to bring the community together for events such as this: 

“As Lead Governor at Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust, I know how important it is to raise awareness of the hospital charity, who provide those essential extra services which go above and beyond what the NHS can provide. I was delighted to offer up to our theatre for this event, and I hope to see many members of the local community come together to raise money for this wonderful cause.”

The Sherwood Forest Hospitals Charity supports Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs King’s Mill, Newark and Mansfield Community hospitals, to improve the lives of patients, visitors, and staff by funding projects above and beyond what the NHS can fund. You can visit the charity's website to find out how to get involved and all the ways you can donate to the charity.