Purbrook singer holds his second rooftop gig to raise thousands for Chestnut Tree House children's hospice

Having raised £2,500 last month for the NHS by cheering up his Purbrook neighbours, Mark Harris wanted to keep up the fundraising momentum by performing on top of his home for the second time.

From 4pm on May 9, the socially-distanced street was out in full force to enjoy some music and comedy from the singer and website designer, along with more than 300 people streaming the show on Facebook Live.

The gig raised plenty of money for the children’s hospice which serves Sussex and south east Hampshire, in support of an eight-year-old boy who inspired Mark when he danced the whole day at a festival hosted by the entertainer.

The 41-year-old, who saw his latest performance reach as far as Australia and Brazil online, said: ‘We even had the honour of two special guests - one being the police who again supported the gig while making sure social distancing was adhered to, and the second being the star of the show, Jack Woods.

‘Jack is the reason I did the gig, he suffers with a life-limiting condition called Lowe syndrome that is only found one in 500,000 children.

‘To look and meet him you’d be surprised he was even suffering, the life and soul of any gig!’

Along with his uplifting performances on the roof, Mark has been helping to keep people connected online during lockdown after setting up ‘Entertain - it’s what we do best!’ on Facebook to cheer people up.

More than 2,500 members have joined in with performing live gigs and comedy online and bringing a smile to others.

The next plan up Mark’s sleeve is to host a father and son gig with 10-year-old Jayden, as well as an online auction to raise more money for his chosen cause.

To donate to Mark’s Chestnut Tree House fundraiser, visit facebook.com/donate/2974728749261229.

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