Former Alnwick student to release debut single with every penny earned going to charity

And Jaya Jack Petrie, 20, is giving every penny his song earns to charity.

Jaya, known to pals as JJ, wants to raise funds for the Community Foundation which helps disadvantaged children across Northumberland, with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust also benefiting.

His single ‘Love Thoughts’ was recorded and produced during the Covid-19 lockdown by JJ's music producer father Iain Petrie, of Awake Music.

“Last year just over 35 per cent of children living in poverty were from the North East, according to the End Child Poverty Coalition, " said JJ, who lives in Berwick.

“So it's clear to me that more needs to be done to help places like Northumberland."

“I’ve chosen to support the Community Foundation because they’re a North East-based charity that is helping the most vulnerable people during the Covid-19 pandemic. They provide aid to the Berwick-based Community Development Trust which operates the food bank.

“And of course food bank use has risen with so many people having to take a wage cut through being put on furlough, elderly folk shielding and so many newly unemployed people. It’s disgraceful to think of anyone going hungry, let alone those in your own community.”

“The Foundation also provides essential funding to HospiceCare North Northumberland, an organisation that cares for adults who have life-limiting illnesses.

"They have branches in Alnwick and Berwick that are suffering from a steep rise in running costs due to the pandemic. It's a brilliant organisation that also supports the Northumberland Domestic Abuse Services, this is critical as the pandemic has led to an increase in domestic abuse. It supports so many charities, I can’t champion the Foundation’s work enough.”

The next step in JJ's musical career is a move to live in Leeds from September where he will begin studying music and performance at the city's College of Music.

JJ's single is available from Thursday, June 25 on www.justgiving.com for a minimum donation of just £3.

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