AN IRVINE DJ has been entertaining care home residents throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with socially distanced performances.

Paul Downie, 60, has been playing hits from the 1940s-70s in a bid to cheer up residents from care homes across Ayrshire, with many unable to see their families due to strict lockdown measures.

The DJ with 43 years of experience performs outside in car parks and gardens and has already visited care homes in Ayr, Kilmarnock and Kilwinning.

Paul said: “I am a DJ and missing my gigs so I started doing two virtual live shows on Facebook and I then decided to phone some care homes to see if anyone wanted to use my services free of charge and I had a fantastic response.”

“When I was in Heathfield House Care Home last week a couple of the carers had phoned to say that some residents struggle to speak and the carers could not get over how the residents were singing along to songs from the 1940s and 1950s and for me to see the look on their faces makes it all worthwhile.

“I also had a gentleman whose favourite band was Queen and I put a song on and he just started crying and it gets quite emotional because these people are not seeing their families and not getting any visitors.”

He added: “I am just doing my bit to try and cheer them up and thankfully it has been working with a good response so far. I am loving it just as much as they are.”

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