90-year-old Andy drums up a £1000 boost for NESS

Andy
Andy presents a cheque to Bruce Cruickshank surrounded by family and friends.

A BLIND PENSIONER has celebrated his 90th birthday by drumming up a £1000 gift for a local charity.

Amazing Andy Dey is a singer, musician and composer – and to mark his 90th he teamed up with family and friends to record two albums.

Initially his creations were intended only as an unusual Christmas present last year – but when word got around the recordings proved highly popular with many offering to donate cash in exchange for copies – and that raised the £1000 which Andy decided to donate to the North East Sensory Services (NESS).

Andy, who has been registered blind for 50 years, decided to help NESS because the charity supported visually and hearing impaired people in Moray.

To celebrate his success and his 90th birthday Andy, who now resides in a Banff care home, got together with friends and family at the Fife Lodge Hotel in the town last week for a tea party and music session at which Bruce Cruickshank, the NESS fundraising assistant in Moray, attended and accepted the cheque on behalf of the charity.

Also present was Mr Dey’s niece Anne Coull, who said: “Andy is forever singing or playing at the local church or at coffee mornings, or in his evenings, so it was lovely to all come together and celebrate his achievement.

“We are so proud that he has managed to raise £1000 for such a worthy charity as NESS, which is a service that he himself uses.

“It was a great day – there was around 55 people who attended, a mix of family and friends and members of the Macduff Reel and Strathspey society too. Andy was delighted that Bruce Cruickshank from NESS came along to receive the cheque.

“Everyone joked that you had to have a talent to come along! It was a great day, with lots of music and laughter. Andy turned 90 in January and unfortunately was not well, so we thought this was a great opportunity to celebrate his 90th year and show appreciation for what he does.”

NESS supports people with serious sight or hearing loss to overcome practical and emotional challenges and achieve independence across Moray, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Dundee, Angus and Perth & Kinross.