Fundraising mum on a musical mission for celebrity snaps

A WOMAN is on a musical quest for celebrity snaps to raise money for charity in memory of her sister who died of cancer aged just 52.

Sue Darcy, who runs Central Bar in New Milton, is seeking out well-known faces to help promote her daughter Molly Poole’s reworked version of Rod Stewart’s song, Reason to Believe, with proceeds going to Cancer Research.

Sue’s sister Karen Bryant was manager of the New Milton branch of Bath Travel before she died of cancer in January 2012.

Now Sue is aiming for 60 photos of celebrities holding the special CD by 31st May to mark the month when Karen would have reached her 60th birthday.

With the help of some camera-wielding friends, she is well over halfway there with snaps of 47 well-known names ranging from sports stars, TV and radio personalities, and well-known actors.

Famous faces have included Britain’s Got Talent-winning dancer Theo Mckenzie-Hayton, Father Ted co-star Ardal O'Hanlon, X Factor winner Joe McElderry, Eastenders actor Neil McDermott, and former Sugababes member Amelle Berrabah.

Sportsmen include AFC Bournemouth striker Josh King, former England player Dennis Wise, New Forest professional darts talent Scott Mitchell, and Mark Lewis-Francis who won 4x100-metre gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The latest addition to the list was British actor Daniel Mays, who plays the lead role in new film Fisherman’s Friends.

Among Sue’s favourites are Kenny Jones, who played drums for Small Faces and the Who, and costume designer Phyllis Dalton whose creations were used in Lawrence of Arabia, Dr Zhivago and Oliver!

“I might have to stand outside the cafés in Sandbanks to find Harry Rednapp,” she joked.

The climax of her challenge is set to be a photo of Rod Stewart himself at a meet-and-greet organised by Southampton FC when the star performs at St Mary’s stadium on 31st May as part of a UK tour.

“I’m 100% sure I’m going to do it – I have only got 13 left to get,” she told the A&T. “When I give the CD to Rod Stewart I think I’m going to cry.”

Karen had been a Rod Stewart fan when they were growing up together in the 1970s which had been a “connection” between the two sisters, said Sue.

Her photos quest was inspired in December 2018 when she snapped the 74-year-old musician’s well-known singer-songwriter Jim Cregen holding the CD after recording the track with her daughter about two years ago.

“I just needed a challenge, I am like that. I need things to do and I just went with it. I never thought I would get this far,” Sue said.

“It’s down to people I know. It’s people I know who have helped me to do it – everybody knows someone and I hand out the CDs. I carry them around with me. My daughter thinks I’m crazy.”

Five months after Karen’s death Sue also lost her mother to cancer and then her partner also suffered one of his parents dying.

“It helps me, I am doing something. I get angry sometimes because I am doing this and people are still falling around me – but you have got to see the bigger picture,” she said.

Sue reckons she has collected about £80,000 for Cancer Research from a range of previous fundraising activities which can be followed on www.facebook.com/MADCRUK/.

She is giving updates on her latest challenge on her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/reasontobelievesong/.

The charity recording of Reason to Believe is available on major online music platforms including Amazon and Spotify.