Page 23 - Real Rochdale Issue 10 Summer 2021

Fancy dress posties raise £1,700 for MIND John Swinden’s Captain Tom 100 challenge

raises funds for Springhill Hospice

Rochdale’s Royal Mail posties raised around
£1,700 for charity in May after delivering Rochdale’s singing jeweller raised £2,000 with song relay
their rounds in fancy dress.
Dean Martin, Johnny Cash, The initial 100 track set was
Bobby Vee, and the Everly closed with the Frank Sinatra
Over 50 postmen and women working across
the borough donned costumes to raise funds Brothers. classic ‘My Way’ before John
for mental health charity MIND – which has a performed two acoustic
local branch based on Drake Street. The Captain Tom 100 songs by request.
challenge was set up by the
late veteran’s family in his “I treated the performance
Organised by the ‘Rochdale Charity Posties’
group, the day took place during Mental A representative of Rochdale Charity Posties honour: dream up a as if I was in front of an
Health Awareness Week (10-16 May) in said: “Never before has mental health and challenge based around audience,” he said, “I felt the
memory of much-loved colleagues Jonny wellbeing been more important. Owner of J & D Alexander the number 100 and do it pressure for the last 27
Clarke and Ste King. Jewellers on The Walk, John at anytime and anywhere songs, but Captain Tom kept
“Lots of key workers, including posties, all Swinden sang 102 songs in over Captain Tom’s birthday walking so it was the least I

Postal workers marked the day with a variety over the country have been suffering with a row on Sunday 2 May to weekend - Friday 30 April could do in his memory.
of outfits, ranging from a unicorn and a purple their mental health. We all know someone raise money for Rochdale’s through to Monday 3 May.
Tyrannosaurus Rex to Where’s Wally, Jesus that has suffered. only hospice. “The amount raised is only
Christ, Spiderman, a Roman centurian, a John live-streamed his a drop in the ocean of what
cowboy and even a human sized post box and “MIND is a great charity that provides Totalling five hours and 40 challenge via Facebook, the hospice needs to stay
whoopee cushion. support when it is really needed.” minutes, John performed hit taking a break at 30, 50, and open, but I’m happy to have
tracks by the likes of Elvis, then 75 songs. helped.”

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