Quartet who were stopped by Police from playing for neighbours are raising money for the St John’s Hospice where their relative was treated

The musical family who were stopped by Police from performing for their West London neighbours are to give a live VE Day concert from the garden of St John’s Hospice.

While the Todes family were told that their concert breached social distancing rules by encouraging crowds to gather, they will have no such problem when they play tomorrow at the St John’s Wood hospice.

Ever since their brush with the law, The ‘Alexander Street Quartet’ have been putting their media fame to good use by helping to raise money for the charity.

Now they are set to play a special concert at noon on the 75th anniversary of VE Day in the garden which won a Chelsea Flower Show award. Patients will be able to enjoy the live music at a safe distance through open doors and windows.

Rafael Todes joins his wife and children in playing a range of music from Mozart to Vera Lynn’s wartime classic We’ll Meet Again, said, “I’m delighted to be able to take our pop-up street concert to the very place in which we are intending any money raised to go to. It has special significance for me and the family as we are very grateful to St John’s Hospice for the excellent care received by my late father. It seems a fitting place for us to perform one of our livestream concerts.”

Sue Hutton, the hospice’s Assistant Director of Nursing, said: “We are very appreciative of the Todes family for raising money for our COVID-19 emergency fund, this will be invaluable in helping ensure our specialist teams can better reach and provide for patients that are now increasingly isolated and vulnerable at home during the pandemic. I’m sure the beautiful music will also be appreciated by the patients we have staying with us, hopefully helping to lift all of our spirits.”

The hospice has been hit by the pandemic with two charity shops temporarily closed and other fundraising activities cancelled. Money raised by the Todes family will provide palliative care services to the 4,000 terminally-ill patients and their families the hospice supports every year.

Watch the live stream on St John’s Hospice Facebook page www.facebook.com/stjohnshospice/ or via their website. Donate via the Todes family’s Just Giving page: justgiving.com/fundraising/rafael-todes2