The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Fundraiser Wes Shah
After the NHS saved his mother’s life, Wes Shah hopes album will raise cash for the health board
has spent his summer holiday recording an album of Sir Cliff Richard hits to benefit NHS Tayside after Ninewells staff saved his mum Daphne’s life when she was admitted with Covid-19, aged 98.
A charity fundraiser from Tayside has spent his summer holiday recording an album of Sir Cliff Richard hits.
After NHS Tayside saved his 98-year-old mother’s life when she was diagnosed with coronavirus, Wes Shah is raising funds for the health board by releasing the album inspired by his friend Sir Cliff.
Doctors and nurses at Ninewells were lauded when they helped Daphne Shah, now 99, recover from the potentially fatal disease earlier this year.
Her recovery made headlines around the world and son Wes, from St Madoes, is keen to repay the favour.
The businessman had been working on his life’s ambition of recording and releasing an album earlier this year.
Having performed with friend Sir Cliff Richard on a charity tour in Dundee, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Carlisle in the late 1970s, Wes was inspired to record an album of, mainly, Sir Cliff’s songs.
The pair met when Wes was asked to organise a Tearfund festival, backed by Sir Cliff, in the 1970s. Far from not talking anymore, the pair are still firm friends, with the multi-award winning artist helping to train Wes.
Titled All That Matters, the charity album features Wes’s take on classics like Summer Holiday and Everything That I Am.
The record was completed in March after weeks in the studio but having seen the tireless work medical professionals have put in across the country, Wes decided to divert all money raised from the album, Golden, to the NHS as his way of saying congratulations.
He said: “Earlier this year I started recording an album. It was one of my life’s ambitions and I hadn’t been in the studio for about 17 years.
“It was finished by March, just before my mother was taken into hospital.
“There’s no fixed price for the album, just donate what you can. I’m not setting a target as every penny helps and raising money is my way of giving back.
“Sir Cliff was my inspiration for the album. We toured together after just a couple of years of meeting him. He really trained me.
“The album was a casual hobby but now I’ve got the chance to use it to make a difference.”
Hailing from a musical family, Wes plays the keyboard and violin while son Tom is a professional music producer.
The album is available to listen to on YouTube and can be purchased from the site.
NHS volunteer Wes has offered his time as a trolley assistant, and support to patients, at Cornhill Hospice in Perth for three years.