DESPITE a slight glitch hours before their largest fundraiser to date, Natalie and Steve Hearn succeeded not in only in remaining calm in the midst of a potential disaster but collected £2,700 for the 160 Appeal.

The dedicated fundraisers, from Sheppard Street, are no strangers to last-minute problems as they had to move their Bee Gees tribute night at the 11th hour because of a conflict in scheduling in February.

Their Soul & Motown night last Friday did not escape the cycle of ill luck when the band booked for the event became stranded in Cumbria.

Thankfully the musicians made it to the Swindon Town Football Club Legend’s Lounge 30 minutes into their planned set and the festivities went without a hitch for the rest of the night, which raised £2,700 for the Wroughton Hospice.

“We had a few hiccups but luckily we didn’t have to change venues this time,” said Natalie, 32. “The band, Let’s Drift, broke down in Kendal. With what happened last time we expected something to happen and on Friday we were thinking ‘it’s going too smoothly – something is going to happen.’ “They arrived at 9pm and they were due to start at 8.30pm so we had to rearrange the schedule. But it was absolutely fantastic.”

The Motown night was also a fitting tribute to Colin Daley, who passed away at Prospect Hospice on February 12, aged 69, after a drawn-out battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

“His family were there and we paid tribute to him and asked everybody to take a minute out to remember him,” she said. “There was also a round of applause at the start.”

She added: “Colin died at Prospect and we know what a fantastic job they do there caring for the patients. They take into consideration the family as well. Our job is to help them help somebody else.

“Every time you look in the Adver, without fail, there is somebody mentioned who has been looked after by Prospect whether it’s in the obituaries or the news. Prospect help to make sure people are comfortable and that their last moments are happy and not filled with illness and misery.”

Natalie and Steve will hold a 60s night in the autumn in memory of her cousin Tracey Toop, who died of ovarian cancer on May 14 and was cared for by Prospect Hospice.