A CANCER patient is singing his support for a North-East hospice by becoming the charity’s resident busker.
Carl Booth, 59, is to be officially adopted as The Butterwick Busker and will make his debut at a food and drink festival next month.
Carl will be singing and playing guitar at a variety of events in aid of Butterwick Hospice Care.
The first event is the Butterwick’s Food and Drink Festival at Preston Park, near Yarm, on September 14 and 15.
Carl, who lives at Ingleby Barwick, was diagnosed with prostate cancer last September. He has had radiotherapy as well as surgery and is still undergoing treatment.
“I’ve always loved playing music – I’ve played for rocks bands and folk bands and now I just do it for my own enjoyment.
“When I heard they were looking for entertainers at the food and drink festival, I offered to do an acoustic slot and the idea of becoming the official Butterwick Busker went from there.”
After taking early retirement, Carl started doing odd jobs in the maintenance department at the hospice and that led to his full-time role as Estates Manager.
The role involves managing the hospice’s two sites at Stockton and Bishop Auckland and 13 shops. His partner, Amanda Kirton, is the lead practitioner in complementary therapy at the hospice.
“Being diagnosed with cancer myself has really helped to underline the importance of the work the hospice does,” he said. “It’s a measure of the place that everyone has reacted in such a supportive and upbeat way to my illness and I just want to put something back through song.”
The festival opening times are 7pm to 11pm on both days. Entry tickets are £5 and you can register at www.butterwick.org.uk/events/foodanddrink
For further information, contact Jess Naylor on 01642 628930 or email jess.naylor@butterwick.org.uk