Ed Sheeran guitar raises more than £50,000 for local charity

Money will go towards a music centre and disabled access facilities

Hospital worker Kellie Myers and her family with Ed Sheeran’s prototype guitar, that they won through a charity raffle. (GeeWizz/ PA)

A signature guitar owned by Ed Sheeran has raised more than £50,000 to help a school in the singer-songwriter’s hometown.

The prototype Equals guitar, created by Sheeran and Northern Ireland-based guitar-maker George Lowden, brought in £52,765 in the charity raffle to help a school in his hometown.

Sheeran donated it to be raffled by the Suffolk-based charity GeeWizz. The money raised will go towards a music pod and disabled access facilities at a school in Framlingham.

Any remaining funds will be distributed among other projects for learning disabled and neurodivergent children around Suffolk.

The raffle winner was hospital worker Kellie Myers from Ipswich, whose two songs, Henry and Jacob, are learning how to play the guitar.

Sheeran added a personalised signature before it was given to the family, writing: “Henry + Jacob! Play this guitar!”

“The guitar is beautiful. My boys have been learning to play for a couple of years now,” Myers said.

“As a family we adore Ed. He really supports our community and local charities.”

Sheeran also donated three signed Ipswich Town Football Club 2021/22 home football shirts with an Ed Sheeran “Tour” sponsor logo across the chest for three runners-up in the raffle.

GeeWizz founder Gina Long MBE said: “What a wonderful life-changing fundraiser to finish the year with, it's the very best Christmas present GeeWizz is able to give, thanks to the generosity and kindness of Ed Sheeran, who is charity champion on every level.”

Additional reporting by Press Association