A SIXTH form student at Kingsbridge Community College had a birthday party to remember, when acclaimed singer-songwriter Emily Barker played a gig in her house in Thurlestone.

As part of her recent ‘Gig In Our House’ tour, the folk and country musician performed to an invited audience for the 17th birthday of Elinor Jones - a huge fan of Emily’s music.

Emily Barker is perhaps best known for writing and performing the theme music for the award-winning BBC series ‘Wallander’, starring Kenneth Branagh.

Elinor previously celebrated her 15th birthday at one of Emily’s gigs in Bristol, where Emily and her band ‘The Red Clay Halo’ invited her backstage and onto their tour bus.

In 2012, Elinor became so unwell with the debilitating condition ‘Chronic Pain Syndrome with Fatigue’ that she missed almost a year of school, was bed-bound and had to use a wheelchair for seven months.

The event was organised by Elinor’s parents, Andrew and Karen Jones, who also run Coast & Country Cottages.

Donations were requested in lieu of birthday presents, and the gig raised £365 for The Association of Young People with ME – a small charity that provides vital support to the many young people who are affected by this often misunderstood condition. Figures from the British Medical Journal showed that one per cent of children enrolled in schools in the UK had missed up to 20 per cent of school because of ME CFS.

And yet it is still often difficult for children to receive the help and support they need to manage their symptoms and cope with the everyday activities that most young people take for granted.

Charlotte Jefcoate, membership and events fundraiser at AYME said: ‘We want you to know how grateful we are for Elinor’s support, thoughtfulness and generosity. The amount raised will go directly towards funding services we offer to our members, such as our hand-written birthday cards. As Elinor knows first-hand this really does help break the isolation for many children with ME CFS.’

Karen Jones added: ‘We are extremely proud of Elinor, not only for how well she has coped with the challenges of this condition, but how she is also trying to raise awareness of it, at school, through her writing and by fundraising in this way.’

To find out more about AYME and the support they provide and the condition ME CFS, visit www.ayme.org.