Entertainment evenings raise over £3,000 during lockdown in Sheffield

The idea to start fundraising came to Jeanette Lister during the second week of the Clap for Carers initiative during the pandemic.

Jeanette was told by her neighbours that the clapping was for her and the work she does on the front line .

She said: “I felt really overwhelmed when my neighbours told me they were clapping for me, and I told them how much I wanted to applaud and play music for people to help cheer them up.”

Out of this idea, came Jeanette’s inspiration to host weekly events to raise money for Northern General Hospital, Sheffield Children's Hospital and Western Park Hospital.

Each charity will receive £1,000 from the fundraising efforts.

Jeanette said: "I decided to host a weekly entertainment event and one of my neighbours is a DJ and offered his help. My granddaughter helped design leaflets that we put through our neighbours’ letter boxes.

"Every Saturday night, we would take to the street and play music, sell raffle tickets and we even played bingo. Our local shop donated a food hamper every week to offer as a prize, which was fantastic.”

Bryn Evans, owner of Home Instead Senior Care Sheffield, said: “When the coronavirus pandemic hit the country, no-one quite knew how exactly it would affect the nation.

“As we have seen, Jeanette was one of those people who wanted to go the extra mile to help in any way she could. When she wasn’t caring for her clients in their own homes, she was raising thousands of pounds for charities that are close to her heart and for this, we couldn’t be prouder.”

After the final night of fundraising, Jeanette said: “We finished our events as more people were going back to work.

"On the final night, we had five food hampers and lots of raffle prizes and DJ John and my husband Roy dressed up for the occasion. It has truly been a lovely experience and I know we have brought fun and lightness to lockdown 2020.”

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