‘I’ve enjoyed every minute of it’ | John Jones celebrates 35 years of volunteering at Macclesfield Hospital

For 35 years, patients, visitors and colleagues at Macclesfield Hospital have been greeted by the familiar sound of John Jones’ accordion.

Since first picking up his instrument to help raise money for a CT scanner in 1991, John has become one of the hospital’s best-known volunteers, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for East Cheshire NHS Charity while bringing comfort, conversation and music to generations of patients.

Looking back on three and a half decades, John says it has never been about fundraising alone.

“It’s not all about the money. It’s been wonderful meeting lots of people over the years. I’ve made lots of friends.

“I never realised it would change my life like it has, I was only going to do a bit of busking to raise some money.”

John’s volunteering began after visiting the hospital with his mother-in-law and spotting an appeal to help fund a new CT scanner.

“I saw the posters asking people to help raise £1million for a CT scanner and I asked if I could do a bit of busking. The first one I ever did was in June 1991. I was always playing in the Grosvenor Centre, nearly every week. I just enjoyed it that much.”

Music had always been part of John’s life, although he taught himself to play the accordion after his father passed away.

“My dad played the accordion all the time and I could play the piano a little bit. When he died, I started messing around with his accordion. One half is like a piano, but the other half is completely different with buttons. I had to teach myself, but I really enjoyed it.”

Over the years, John’s fundraising has helped buy life-changing equipment across the Trust, but he says seeing those donations making a real difference has been the greatest reward.

“One of the nicest moments was about five years after helping to raise the money for the scanner, I had to have a CT scan myself. The nurse said, ‘That’s ironic, you’re using the scanner you helped pay for.’ That really stayed with me.

“Another thing was seeing a newborn baby being taken to another hospital in an incubator that the charity had helped buy. That made me quite emotional because I’d played a small part in making that happen.”

One of John’s most treasured memories has nothing to do with fundraising at all.

“There was a lady who used to stop every time she came through the corridor. She’d sing with me because she had a lovely voice. I kept saying to people, ‘Somebody ought to record this.’ Eventually we did.

“The day after we’d recorded it, she unexpectedly passed away. Her daughter was so grateful to have that recording of her mum singing. I even went to her funeral. That was a very emotional moment.”

In 2020, after losing his wife to sepsis in Intensive Care just before the first COVID-19 lockdown, John’s fundraising took on an even more personal meaning.

“My wife had been cared for in Intensive Care, and I asked if I could collect specifically for ICU because of what they’d done for her.

“Since then, we’ve raised over £25,000. The latest thing was helping to fund the new family room. Knowing that families now have somewhere comfortable to be together means so much to me.

“I also love going onto the dementia wards because the patients generally know all the old songs. Music takes them back. You can see it in their faces."

Although his fundraising total is remarkable, John says the people are what have kept him coming back week after week for 35 years.

“Everybody’s so friendly and kind. I’ve got so many friends here now. I know so many of the staff and volunteers, and even when I’m walking around Macclesfield people stop me for a chat because they know me from the hospital.

“I always say if you’d like to donate that’s wonderful, but if you haven’t got any money, it doesn’t matter. Sometimes people come back later and say, ‘You played while I was waiting for my appointment and I’ve come back to make a donation.’ That’s lovely.

“I just want to say a big thank you to the local community for supporting this endeavor over the years.”

John’s remarkable commitment has been recognised with an MBE and a Pride of Manchester Award.

Now aged 84, retirement is the last thing on John’s mind. Alongside volunteering at the hospital, he performs in care homes, plays with two accordion bands and enjoys sequence dancing.

“I’m very grateful to all the NHS staff who have cared for me when I’ve been in as a patient and I am very fortunate to be in good health which enables me to continue my fundraising.”