Peterborough musician raising money for NHS equipment with no release from home in China

Former King’s School pupil Sam Wakefield moved to China in 2014, and started band Joker’s Belief.

The band is now releasing its latest music, with funds going to buy masks for NHS staff in England.

Sam, who celebrated his 32th birthday today, is living in Beijing, and said it had been a surreal experience as the virus pandemic started..

He said; “My experience with the novel Coronavirus began when I came back to Beijing from the Spring Festival holiday at the beginning of February. At that time, the government ordered everyone to self-quarantine in their apartments and only go outside if absolutely necessary, e.g. to the supermarket. The city was a ghost town. My days consisted of staying in the house and every couple of days buying groceries at a supermarket close enough to walk. I, and many others, have been working online. For the month of February, everything pretty much went on standstill.

“Towards the end of March until today, it has become a bit more relaxed. Schools, gyms, and many other business remain closed, but those who had been in Beijing longer than two weeks are allowed to exercise outside or sit at a park. Some restaurants have opened for customers, but only let in a limited amount and do not allow large groups. Now there is a strict ban on people entering the country for the foreseeable future.

“In order to receive information and updates about the situation, I am able to follow English news websites and informed groups on the widely-used messaging app called WeChat.

“Still today, Beijinger’s and expats are taking precautions. Anyone venturing outside is required to wear a mask. Also, all open businesses and apartment complexes have someone at the entrance taking people’s temperatures.”

Sam, guitarist in the band, said most of his friends and family were still in the UK, and was able to keep up to date with activities in his native England through the press.

The band’s new EP, Days As Lost Dogs’ is Joker’s Belief’s first international release, and Sam said it had ‘a wide range of flavours, from emotional indie melodies of ‘Into The Dark’ to funk driven hip movers such as ‘Winston.’’

It will be available on all major platforms including iTunes and Spotify,