Yahoo News Hull singer rescues huge charity event that ‘looked to be in ruins’
An East Yorkshire charity marking a major milestone in its history is “over the moon” after a Hull singer stepped in at short notice to save its opening celebrations.
Sight Support Hull and East Yorkshire is marking its 160th anniversary this year. A major concert to kick off its commemorations is due to be held at Hull Minster next month and was to star local X Factor contestant Samantha Atkinson.
However, the charity, which has been at the forefront of providing invaluable support and services to the visually impaired community of Hull and East Yorkshire since it was founded in 1864, got a call “out of the blue” to say Samantha would not be able to appear. Sight Support said its plans for the concert, on Friday, June 7, “looked to be in ruins”.
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The "Take Me To The Movies" concert of film music through the decades, also featuring Hull Philharmonic Orchestra, seemed in doubt when Samantha had to pull out “due to unforeseen circumstances”. As luck would have it, local singer Martin Jackson, formerly part of the trio Tre Amici - who took X Factor by storm themselves after winning the Hull Daily Mail’s Search For A Star talent contest in 2015 - and now a highly successful solo artist, was able to step in.
Alison Stannard, Sight Support’s chief executive, said: “As you can imagine, we were facing a huge gap in our plans for the evening. We knew it would be difficult to find a replacement at such short notice, so we were over the moon and incredibly grateful when Martin offered to come to our rescue and fit us into his busy schedule.”
The charity is now looking forward to what is set to be a fabulous evening of musical entertainment to kick off its 160th anniversary celebrations in style. Tickets are £16 and currently still available, although selling fast.
Doors open at 6.15pm and the concert starts 7pm. Tickets are available by calling Sight Support on 01482 342297 or by emailing fundraising@sightsupport.org. Tickets are also available online on Eventbrite.
If you are unable to attend the concert but would like to give a donation to Sight Support Hull & East Yorkshire, please visit sightsupport.org
