Music-loving Portsmouth grandad, 85, praises neighbour's garden concerts for bringing back his social life

Stanley Hore, 85, has heaped praise on to neighbour and singer-songwriter Becki Short after she took to her front garden to perform and raise residents’ morale over the past three weekends.

Mr Hore has been in the care of his grandson Ricki, 36, since a spinal injury that suddenly arose last year left him needing a wheelchair to get around.

Now the former painter and decorator, who survived the Blitz in Portsmouth as a youngster, claims Becki’s shows have brought about the closest semblance to the active social life he enjoyed before his disability.

He said: ‘Until I had this disability I was always out listening to live music like Becki’s – I used to love going to jazz shows.

‘I was still a member of Nuffield Gym this time last year but then my spinal issues started when I had a problem with my right shoulder.

‘Having Ricki wheel me up the road so we can get our exercise and listen to this lovely music has become an extension of my old, normal social life which I’ve had to stop.

‘It’s wonderful, and it reminds me of the street parties and music we used to have during the war – people were doing all sorts. It was wartime spirit.’

Mr Hore moved into Keswick Avenue, off Moneyfields Lane, after his old house was bombed out during the Second World War.

Ricki, who now cares for him full-time as a result of recently being made redundant, said the octogenarian's neighbour's all clap him when he makes it out for Becki’s shows.

‘He’s really well respected around here – they all call him Stan the Man,’ said Ricki, who describes his grandad as his ‘hero’.

‘I really enjoy the music he brought me up on, so to be able to take him out up the street so he can listen to it live is amazing.’

Becki, 29, who runs the performing arts company OmniArtsGB, said lockdown has created the ‘lovely community spirit' she has wanted to be a part of since moving to Copnor four years ago.

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‘It’s really nice to be out there performing and seeing everyone in the street,' she said.

‘This situation has really brought everyone together and I feel like that's something I’ve wanted for years.

‘We’ve now got a WhatsApp group with all the neighbours in and we all look out for each other when it comes to things like shopping, for example.

‘Some good has come of this situation and it’s lovely to still have the chance to perform.’

Becki performs music spanning from the 1940s, to Frank Sinatra, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald, to Disney songs and 70s and 80s power ballads.