Express & Star

Duo’s marathon busk raises £1,200 - with video

Two teenage musicians are having a well-earned rest after completing an epic 26-hour busk, raising more than £1,200 for overseas charity Unicef.

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Haydn Morrow and Joe Ward during their 26-hour busk at Telford Town Centre

Haydn Morrow and Joe Ward, both 17, also known as duo Just Haydn and Joe, live-streamed their performance on Saturday and Sunday via Facebook.

They played an acoustic set and a mixture of music all day and overnight to raise cash for Unicef, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, which provides vulnerable children with food, clean water, and medical care as well as education and protection from exploitation.

The pair attend performing arts specialist high school Birmingham Ormiston Academy where they met.

Haydn , of Randlay, Telford, a former pupil of Idsall School, in Shifnal, got involved after his brother Rhys, 23, decided to support Unicef as part of his graduate studies.

"My brother was doing a project and the whole family got on board. I thought it was just nice to help a charity to provide water, food and clothing to children. We got involved because we wanted to put something into it," Hadyn says.

Joe, of Essington, near Wolverhampton, is a former Cheslyn Hay High School pupil.

"Haydn was talking about his family were doing so we decided to do this. We play here at the centre quite a lot anyway and we thought we'd do something challenging and go for the busking record while we're at it, by playing overnight," Joe adds.

They set themselves an aim of raising £300 but by the time the 26 hours were over had smashed their target with a total of £1,201.40p.

Haydn's mother Karen also held a bucket collection as the lads sang their hearts out at Telford Shopping Centre with a selection of hits including a cover of Justin Bieber's Love Yourself.

Haydn and Joe will be collecting donations via telfordshopping.co.uk/events/26-hour-busk-aid-unicef