A PIONEER of the town’s jazz scene is celebrating his 80th birthday with a party in aid of the community hospital.

Len Thwaites, the founder of Abbey Jazz, has hosted fortnightly live music nights in Malvern Rugby Club for the past 18 years.

Mr Thwaites is now throwing a birthday bash to celebrate the success of Abbey Jazz and also to raise money for Malvern Community Hospital.

“I hope to raise about £1,000. I just hope the weather will be good,” he said.

“People kept saying I don’t look my age and said why don’t you have a party?”

The bash will include a fete and an evening event at Malvern Rugby Club, in Spring Lane, on Saturday, May 13.

There will be hot dogs, cakes, handicrafts and more for sale at the fete, which takes place from 3pm to 5pm.

A raffle and a buffet have been organised for the evening, from 6pm until 9pm.

Mr Thwaites, of Abbey Road, Malvern, actually turned 80 in December but wanted to have his party in the sunshine.

He started Abbey Jazz in 1995 and moved from The Railway Inn to Malvern Rugby Club in 1999.

He makes sure that different bands play at each Abbey Jazz, which will celebrate its 22nd anniversary in June.