A RECENT charity gig that was recreated from 25 years ago has helped raise nearly £4,000 for a Forest charity.

Main organiser of the 50 Golden Years of Forest Rock, Jenny Green hosted the event at the same venue as 1991, The Oaklands in Cinderford, earlier this month.

Hundreds of people enjoyed a night of rock nostalgia with local groups: Sundown, Network, Tanglefoot, Kilgaron and The Castelles – who in their heyday gave considerable enjoyment to thousands of people at various pubs, clubs and halls across the Forest and Wye Valley.

Jenny said: “The evening was a huge success, selling around 300 tickets. The bands were excellent, some only managing a couple of practices as their lead guitarist, Clive Cowmeadow, lives and works in Penang (Malaysia).

“A total of £3,691.60 was raised and has been donated to Hope for Tomorrow, the mobile chemotherapy bus, which visits the Dilke Hospital saving patients who live in the Forest and are receiving chemotherapy the need to travel to Cheltenham.

“I chose to support the charity after I suffered breast cancer last year and was one of the lucky ones who had radiotherapy not chemotherapy.  I know how tiring it was for me going to Cheltenham everyday for five weeks and I couldn’t imagine travelling to Cheltenham from the Forest for chemo every week. 

“I looked at various local cancer charities and after discussion with some of the band members we all agreed on Hope for Tomor­row. They are fundraising for a new bus to replace the one that comes to the Dilke Hospital.  I am sure the money raised will help it happen a little sooner.”