Dean hits the right notes for St John’s Hospice

A Doncaster man’s impromptu X Factor performance on VE Day hit the right notes for a local hospice.

Dean Mychajluk, 49, lead singer with Scunthorpe soft rock band Dog Day Afternoon, decided to entertain residents on his street with a selection of his favourite hits. He set up a microphone, speaker and backing music playing outside his front door and started belting out the hits in a two and a half hours long vocal session.

Dean’s audience – all socially distancing outside their own homes in Bentley – liked his performance so much that they had a whip-round and raised over £111, which he generously donated to Balby’s St John’s Hospice.

Dean currently furloughed from his job at sports job at Adwick Leisure Centre, said: “It was a lovely warm day and people were sat outside so I thought I would do a bit of singing and the people on my street were really appreciative.

“A good friend of mine was cared for at the hospice and after he died I spent two years there as a volunteer, so I know what a fantastic job they do. I plan to go back when the pandemic is over. It’s all about giving something back as far as I am concerned”

The grandson of a Ukrainian national, Dean’s love of singing started at school and saw him featured on TV in the 2010 X Factor series, singing the Jacksons hit Blame it on The Boogie at Manchester Arena. Judge Nicole Sherzinger enjoyed his rendition but sadly it wasn’t enough to earn him a place in the next stage of the competition.

And, though Dog Day Afternoon have had to cancel their current gigs, Dean has found a new way of singing to live audiences every week – by live streaming on facebook from his living room, featuring songs by Police, Queen, Bryan Adams and other artists.

Lindsey Richards, from St John’s Hospice, said: “Dean is a great friend of ours and we are grateful for his generous donation, which will help benefit the patients we care for.”

St John’s Hospice is run by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH).To find out about becoming a sponsor or to fundraise by holding an event, please contact the fundraising team on 01302 796662 or 01302 798391. Alternatively you can donate here:

Donate

Dean presenting his cheque to Lindsey at the hospice

Dean presenting his cheque to Lindsey at the hospice