The Hatfield Brigade lost one of its shining lights a few days ago as Sandra Lanaghan, wife of Mick and mother to Karl and Kerry, lost her long battle with cancer. Sandra worked the soup kitchens during the Miner’s Strike, and she did this having learned she was pregnant the day before the Strike Ballot. Her support and guidance, her love and her friendship have meant so much to so many over the years, and that is obvious in the stories being told in her memory over the last few days.
Mick asked me to sing at the funeral last Thursday and I wrote a song especially for the occasion which I released on Saturday August 5th as a download. All funds raised from the song will be donated to helping open a new family room in Ward G5 of Doncaster Royal Infirmary, so women suffering have somewhere to spend a few hours in peace and dignity with family and friends.
The song is called ‘Keep The Faith’ echoing both the Northern Soul all-nighters that Mick and Sandra frequented in their younger years, and the Strike motto from 1984/85.
You can download it at:
https://joesolomusic.bandcamp.com/track/keep-the-faith-2
and the song is set to ‘Name Your Price’ so if you can spare a little more toward the cause then please do, as every penny raised will help.
Here’s the lyric:
And all-night Northern Soul
Until the day that pit fall
Put me on the Rock’n’Roll
We had good times, we had bad times
But we always made it through
Now I’ll Keep The Faith for you I’ve the Devil and the Irish Rebel
Burning in my blood
That’s what Sister Agnes said
I’d never be no good
But your smile it lit up the world
And made it all brand new
Now I Keep The Faith for you
Now they’ll hang your plaque up on the Wall
Of Memories in this room
And the sun will shine back off it
On a summer’s afternoon
And I hope someone finds your strength
To see their struggles through
And I’ll Keep The Faith for you.
Joe Solo 