Last year, we lost our friend Alastair and to honour him, we came together to celebrate Alastair’s passion for music by donating a brand-new drum kit to our old school, Laurence Jackson School —the very place where Ali’s rhythm evolved – with AliCat’s drummer Jono alongside him.

It was a glorious tribute to Ali in the way he would have loved most: through live music – and brought many old friends together for the first time in more than 30 years!

As we gather again to “Celebrate Ali”, our focus is now solely on raising mental health awareness, once again supporting Teesside Mind and their Be Heard initiative located at the old LJS youth club!

We’ve reunited The AliCats, hand-picked local musicians with a setlist packed full of favourite anthems and crowd-pleasers from back in the day. We are also thrilled to have two more local youngsters as a new support act opening the night at The ACE Club, Guisborough in 2026.

​​Ali’s spirit is the heartbeat of this event. Having fulfilled the goal of inspiring future drummers at our old school, we want to create a larger legacy in his name by looking out for the well-being of others.​ Whilst we supported Teesside Mind with the remaining funds raised in 2025, this year, all the money donated will go directly to mental health projects here on Teesside.

Mental health challenges affect so many people of all ages, race, religion, gender and social background. By donating in Ali’s name, we hope to provide a lifeline to those in need.​

Let’s make Ali proud once again. Let’s celebrate the music, the memories, and the man who brought us all together.​

Thank you for your continued love and support!

Tonya, Darren, Jono and Tony – and the AliCats, Jonny, Gary, Wayne and Jono, again!