Keep Rocking the Boat!
Local sea shanty singing group the Wareham Whalers have a busy schedule for 2024!
The Wareham Whalers shanty crew have been rocking the boat for the last 20 years, singing shanties and sea songs to entertain audiences and raise money for local charities.
In the last 12 months alone, they have put on two concerts, launched two new albums, and been invited to sing at a number of prestigious events, including the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, the Lyme Folk Festival, the International Shanty Festival in Falmouth, and the Paimpol songs of the sea festival in France.
“It has been a great privilege to be invited to so many events,” said the Whaler’s captain David Blakeley, “whether international, regional, or local, to do the thing we all love – singing shanties. If we can make some money for good causes along the way, even better!”
The Whalers have also sung at the naming of lifeboats at the RNLI at the Poole HQ and at many community events across the South of England. In 2023, they raised thousands of pounds for local charities, and their new albums – The Shout and The Mary Rose – have been widely played on folk radio.
In 2024, the Whalers will be supporting the 200-year RNLI celebrations with concerts that will celebrate the amazing work that they do. The Whalers are looking forward to another year of singing, having fun, and keeping the art of shanty very much alive!
Series of Spring concerts celebrating 200 years of the RNLI
The Wareham Whalers have a series of concerts this Spring which will celebrate the 200 year anniversary of the foundation of the RNLI.
FRIDAY 23rd FEBRUARY: Durlston Castle, Swanage. More details on the Visit Purbeck Dorset What’s On pages.
FRIDAY 1st MARCH: St Mark’s Church, Highcliffe
FRIDAY 22nd MARCY: Brownsword Hall, Poundbury
All the concerts start at 7.30 pm
Keep up to date with the Wareham Whalers concerts and events on their facebook page
RNLI - founded in a pub!
Did you know that the RNLI was founded by Sir William Hillary? Hillary lived in Douglas on the Isle of Man where he saw first-hand the dangers of the sea and witnessed dozens of shipwrecks. His vision for a service dedicated to saving lives at sea became a reality at an inaugural public meeting at a London tavern on 4th March 1824.
Today the RNLI has a fleet of over 400 lifeboats across the UK, waiting for the call to rescue. Powered by brave volunteers and public support, these lifeboats have saved coutless lives across the years and on average 45 people are aided by crews every days.
To find out more about the 200 year anniversary celebrations check out the RNLI website.
