Image 1 of 1

EEm_National_Lottery_Debra_Kirkness_Aberdeen_GER_03112020011.jpg

Add to Lightbox Download
An Aberdeenshire resident has been recognised and honoured by The National Lottery and Repair Shop host Jay Blades for her efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, supporting young people with physical, learning disabilities, social and financial circumstances get involved with music.
Debra Kirkness, 54, who works full-time at charity Music 4 U and lives in Newburgh with daughters Rebecca, 27 and Lucy, 23, decided to postpone her Integrated Stage School in the Aberdeen Arts Centre because of Covid.

In May, she then launched “Feel Good Friday”. Each week at 7pm, members recorded themselves singing, then on Friday evening would come on live, via Facebook, with Debra and then showcase their performances to an audience of over 100 each week.

Debra also held a concert in the open green space of the cul-de-sac that she lives. She hired a stage and had two of the students from M4U – one with dwarfism and the other with Asperger’s – put on a show (following social distance guidelines) for all the residents, which included Supported Living Accommodation for adults with Learning Disabilities and a residential Care.

Debra’s fundraising and campaigning efforts have earned her a lasting tribute in the local community, in the form of a bespoke bench, one of 12 distinctively designed by BBC Repair Shop's Jay Blades, which will be placed at the Aberdeen Arts Centre.

The charity worker is one of 12 ‘Unsung Champions’ across Great Britain and Northern Ireland being recognised for their time and efforts in supporting some of the most vulnerable in communities during the pandemic.
Copyright
GER HARLEY
Image Size
2832x4256 / 1.5MB
www.EdinburghEliemedia.co.uk
Contained in galleries
Debra Kirkness, Music 4U, Aberdeen, 3 November 2020
An Aberdeenshire resident has been recognised and honoured by The National Lottery and Repair Shop host Jay Blades for her efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, supporting young people with physical, learning disabilities, social and financial circumstances get involved with music. <br /> Debra Kirkness, 54, who works full-time at charity Music 4 U and lives in Newburgh with daughters Rebecca, 27 and Lucy, 23, decided to postpone her Integrated Stage School in the Aberdeen Arts Centre because of Covid. <br /> <br /> In May, she then launched “Feel Good Friday”. Each week at 7pm, members recorded themselves singing, then on Friday evening would come on live, via Facebook, with Debra and then showcase their performances to an audience of over 100 each week. <br /> <br /> Debra also held a concert in the open green space of the cul-de-sac that she lives. She hired a stage and had two of the students from M4U – one with dwarfism and the other with Asperger’s – put on a show (following social distance guidelines) for all the residents, which included Supported Living Accommodation for adults with Learning Disabilities and a residential Care. <br /> <br /> Debra’s fundraising and campaigning efforts have earned her a lasting tribute in the local community, in the form of a bespoke bench, one of 12 distinctively designed by BBC Repair Shop's Jay Blades, which will be placed at the Aberdeen Arts Centre. <br /> <br /> The charity worker is one of 12 ‘Unsung Champions’ across Great Britain and Northern Ireland being recognised for their time and efforts in supporting some of the most vulnerable in communities during the pandemic.