Message of hope: ‘After the storm comes the rainbow…’
Pictures from one of Jimmy’s jam nights in 2019
Jimmy Cricket has sent out a reminder that his regular ‘jam’ nights are cancelled for the foreseeable future.
It comes amid the continuing lockdown throughout the United Kingdom because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Famous Northern Irish entertainer Jimmy and his wife May host an night of entertainment every couple of months in their adopted home town of Rochdale.
It takes place in the lounge area of St Vincent’s RC parish centre in Norden.
They invite different guests who perform free of charge.
It started more than a decade ago as an opportunity for Jimmy and other performers to try out new routines.
At every event, there is a raffle and the selling of refreshments, with all proceeds donated to a chosen charity.
The popular comedian has nicknamed those who regularly support these evenings as ‘Jimmy’s Jammers’.
Jimmy has in the past few years alternated hosting the jam nights with his good friend and fellow entertainer Eric Devereaux.
‘Staggering and heart-breaking’
He messaged the regular jammers this weekend to confirm that two jam nights, scheduled for next week and next month, have been cancelled.
His email said: “I hope you’re all safe and healthy during this challenging time.
“I’m sure like me you’re finding it hard to take in all that’s happened during these last three months.
“We’re inclined to think that epidemics are things we learned about in our school history books.
“But the death toll and misery that this virus has inflicted on us all is staggering and heart-breaking.
“These are the times when we have to dig deep and find the resilience to help each other through.
“I read a saying once: after the storm comes the rainbow.
“Take care everyone and big hugs from myself and May.”
For the past five weeks, Jimmy has sent all his fans and friends daily togetherness message via video as the world fights coronavirus.
The UK government announced on 23 March it was imposing strict new curbs on life in the UK.
Jimmy posted his first video on social media the previous day with the message: “We can do this together!”
He told a few jokes in the clip and urges people to help each other in these tough times.
He said: “Once we get though this, at the end of the tunnel, we’ll all have a great big huddle together.”
Jimmy Cricket has sent a video message of support to a Shropshire hospital during the coronavirus pandemic.
