A SEA shanty group has been telling the story of the RNLI and its volunteers to mark its 200th birthday.

Wareham Whalers held special concerts throughout Dorset to raise much-needed funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the Planets cancer charity.

The group wrote and performed ‘The Shout’ which told the story of the RNLI and the unselfish sacrifices of its volunteers over the 200 years of its history, with anecdotes, songs and shanties.

They raised £7,000 in total.

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A spokesperson for the Whalers thanked the RNLI fundraising groups in Mudeford, Poole, Weymouth and Wareham for their huge support and enthusiasm in helping to put on the concerts.

The group met with representatives from these fundraising groups to present the final cheque at the RNLI college, where they also performed their song ‘The Shout’ which attracted attention from passers by.

The Whalers don’t just perform concerts – they also hold regular workshops to explain how shanties were used by sailing crews to make their work more efficient and effective.

They have run these for Swanage Folk Festival and Purbeck Valley Folk Festival as well as going into schools across Dorset, to help children understand something about life on board the old sailing ships.

This year, Wareham Whalers will perform ‘Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea’ which will explore words and phrases that have found their way from the sailing ships of old into everyday English language.

“With anecdotes and shanties, this will prove to be an entertaining evening all round,” a spokesperson said.

To get in touch with Wareham Whalers, email wareham.whalers@gmail.com

Find out more about them by visiting www.wareham-whalers.org.uk or by visiting their Facebook page.