AN INTERNATIONALLY renowned guitarist cycled into Pickering last week to raise funds in memory of a local man.

Richard Durrant performed at the town’s Memorial Hall raising over £800 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

The concert was in memory of Eric Jackson, from Thornton-le-Dale, who died last year aged 63 and organised by his widow, Jane, children Chloë and Nicholas, and their friends Ben and Amanda Howard.

Chloë said: “We can’t thank Richard enough for a wonderful evening and for supporting our fundraising.

“We have now raised nearly £2,000 since my father died suddenly from a rare form of leukaemia in June last year and we are grateful to so many people for helping to make the concert such a success”.

Chloë added that it had been a real community effort with shops and businesses in Pickering donating raffle prizes, and family and friends baking cakes for the refreshments as well as helping during the event.

“We couldn’t have asked for better support, and of course, our thanks go to Richard and his co-rider, Sean Simington”.

The event had double poignancy as Sean lost his wife to cancer last year and he is cycling with Richard to raise money for the Big C Cancer Charity in Norwich.

Richard Durrant had agreed to include Pickering in his 1,000 cycling tour following a concert in Malton last year.

It was his most northerly point of the tour and he and Sean were able to stay overnight at the Forest and Vale Hotel in Pickering thanks to the sponsorship of Eric’s company, C C Jensen before cycling off to York the following morning.

Jane said people had travelled from all over the country for the concert

"The music was outstanding but Richard creates a unique atmosphere by telling his audiences in a relaxed and easy manner about how and why he is playing a particular piece and his enthusiasm, passion and gentle sense of humour comes through in his words and, of course, his dazzling versatility and virtuosity," she added.

“If he’s willing, I think we’ll have to make a Richard Durrant concert a regular event in Pickering.”

The Jackson family. will be continuing their fundraising with Jane and Chloë singing with the Malton-based choir, Harmonia, of which they are members, at a concert with the Swinton Band in December in Norton.

Chloë also has a Justgiving page: www.justgiving.com/EricJackson49.