SINGERS of hit songs came together for special concert to raise money for life-changing hospice.

The Amersham Rock’n’Roll Club featured a star-studded line-up of 1960s and 1970s music for its Valentine’s concert on February 18.

The entertainment arm of the Amersham Polish Club on Raans Road has brought rock fans and musicians together once a month for almost two decades.  

Organiser and manager of Amersham Polish Club Ralph Gowling said: “We started in 2006. That was my first lot of shows, we did them once a month, and build from there.

“I tried to put in the originals of the people who did the hits. We had Americans come over who had big hits. We had visitors from San Francisco, from France, Spain, all around the UK.

“But inevitably age has caught up. And, unfortunately, a lot of the original artists are no longer with us. Or they don’t want to travel on the motorway.

“We used to pack the room with 200 plus people back in the day.”

In the past, the club has supported Scannappeal at Amersham Hospital, Wycombe Hospital and Stoke Mandeville.

This year, they focused efforts to support Rennie Grove Hospice Care.

Ralph’s own health concerns made him realise the vital work charities like Rennie Grove do.

He said: “When I had the heart attack, it brought home how important these charities are.”

Rennie Grove helps people with life-limiting conditions or terminal illness and their families across Bucks and Herts.

The hospice nurses visit patients at their homes, helping them with medication, pain or other problems round the clock.

Ralph praised the Valentine’s concert musical talent and keen audiences, who had come from “far and wide.”

The line-up featured Manfred Mann, Mike d’Abo, the original Beaky from Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, Mike Berry, Edison Lighthouse known for their global hit ‘Love grows where my rosemary goes’ and young new talent Adam Whitmee.

“It was a sold-out event. Everybody seemed to enjoy it, and all the artists did a good show.

He said the audience “lapped it up”, and the dance floor was “absolutely packed.”

“It was something for charity and something for the local community. We’ve just done old age pensioners lunch for nearly a 100 people. We look after our elderly members.

“We’re there for the local community.

“After Covid, people did need an outlet. What better way to bring people together than music, for them to clap along, sing and dance to, get them out of their shells.

“We did raffle during the show, which was hugely supported. When we talk about generosity whether things are tough out there, people were still generous. We raised £600 just from the charity raffle, and that was just the start of it.”

All images courtesy of Tristan Long