FOLK music fans have raised almost £8,000 to help Motor Neurone Disease patients and their families in York after the illness took the life of the organiser of a top York folk club.

Roland Walls, who died in the summer, had been the focus and inspiration for live folk and roots related music in and around York for the past 40 years, said folk singer Stephen Marshall.

He said Roland had been the sole organiser of the Black Swan Folk Club at the Black Swan Inn in Peasholme Green since the early 1980s.

“His superb organisation and meticulous attention to detail resulted in the BBC Folk Club of the Year accolade in 2009,” he said.“There can hardly be a touring musician on the national folk music circuit who hasn’t at some time in the past 40 years made an appearance at the club.”

He said Roland had also been the key figure behind the Black Swan club’s promotion of larger-scale concerts at the National Centre for Early Music, in Walmgate, and higher-profile artists had appeared including Patrick Street, Kate Rusby, June Tabor, Martin Simpson and Martin Carthy.

Organisers said concerts had been held at The Black Swan club and elsewhere, featuring resident folk band ‘Ramshackle’ and a string of nationally known folk artists including Martin Carthy, Wizz Jones, Martin Simpson, Chris While, Julie Matthews and Blackbeards Tea Party, to raise funds for the York branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association

Stephen said funds had also been raised from sales of a compilation CD, with contributions of tracks from major nation folk celebrities and local singers.