The piano man who played for 50 hours straight on Wearside and here's why he did it

Stiff fingered and a little sore.

That was John Foster who completed a sponsored piano marathon at the Biddick Farm Art Centre in Washington more than 45 years ago.

Mr Foster, who was the Arts Director of the Centre in 1980, played for 50 hours non-stop that year.

And he completed the incredible feat to raise money for the Art Centre’s fund which aimed to buy a new grand piano.

But John was not on his own for the impressive effort. He was joined at intervals by a number of colleagues from the centre and many of them brought along their own musical instruments to take part in the marathon.

Mr Foster hoped to have raised about £1,000 from his piano playing efforts, which were sponsored by Fox’s Music Centre, and individual contributors.

Can anyone remember John’s magnificent effort. Were you there and did you help him along the way?

Here’s more of a reminder of what was happening on Wearside in 1980.

Three young scientists from Usworth Comprehensive School in Washington struck oil - even if it was only second hand.

The trio developed a project to recover and clean used engine oil, and the work went on show at the Tomorrow’s Technologists exhibition in Newcastle.

The project took 15-year-olds Robert Pearson, Miles Morris and Robert Fletcher, about five years to perfect.

Twenty paintings at a cafe-cum-bakery at Whitburn went on show. Peter Hopper’s shop in Front Street had just been extended and modernised and Whitburn Art Club decided it would be a great spot to exhibit some of the members’ paintings.

Two Sunderland girls with hearts of gold were Deborah Wilson and Andrea Airdrie who raised £28.20 for the Charlie Bear Scanner Appeal. And they planned to come up with more fundraising ventures.

Staff and pupils from the Barbara Priestman School in Sunderland raised £3,000 when all 48 of them did a 68-mile sponsored cycle ride from Carlisle to Wearside.

Get in touch and tell us more about any of these stories.

Or is there another aspect of Wearside and County Durham news from the 1980s you would like us to highlight?

It could be a sporting occasion, a memorable feat by a local person or memories of a popular landmark which you would like to reflect on.

Share your own memories by emailing [email protected]