Banging the drum for charity - for eight hours non-stop!

Paul Holden (40, pictured), of Maltby, is raising money for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice and baby charity Tommy’s by playing with ten different bands at a gig in October.

He said: “I decided to do it for Bluebell Wood, because it’s local, they do amazing work and they looked after a couple of our friends when they needed it most.

“The other charity is Tommy’s who do research into miscarriages and stillbirths.”

Paul said his wife Libby had suffered a miscarriage in 2011 and also went through an ectopic pregnancy seven years ago.

“We thought we would raise awareness for the charity so that people know the support is there when they need it,” he said.

“We’re putting our heart, souls, blood, sweat and tears into getting this event as big as possible.”

The gig will mark ten years since Paul’s last drumming endurance event - when he played non-stop for seven-and-a-half hours with seven bands.

That challenge raised more than £650 for the Meningitis Trust, after his mother Liz Holden died from the infection in 1994, aged 44.

Paul said: “The original challenge stemmed from a bit of a breakdown because my mother had died and I had never really dealt with it.

“I realised my mother had never seen me play drums and my sister suggested I do a charity night.

“I couldn’t decide which band to do it with.

“I made a few phone calls and I managed to get everybody back on board that I had ever played with, and it grew from there.

“This year is the tenth anniversary of that stupid event and because I’m still an idiot and it didn’t kill me, I’m gearing up to do it all over again.”

Paul is used to putting in a long shift as, by day, he works as a postman, and walks around ten miles during a shift.

“I like to think it keeps me quite fit,” he said.

Paul said the toughest thing about his previous marathon gig was the fatigue and the shooting pains in his hands which felt like “electric shocks”.

He is currently a member of Sneakin’ Stupidity, The Thurmanators, Long Story Short and Inequality Street - usually playing at pubs and clubs around Rotherham.

The gig will also be a marathon effort for Long Story Short bassist Matt Kay who plays in seven of the bands on the bill.

If the event is a sell-out, £750 will be raised for the worthy causes.

The gig will take place at Chantry Brewery, Parkgate, from noon on October 19.

The dedicated drummer has also released a charity single with his band Dead Man’s Finger, called Breaking Out Alive, which is available to download on iTunes and Amazon.

Tickets for the gig cost £5 and are available at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/drummer-endurance-2-tickets-61752831381.