Presteigne shanty band raises almost £3,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in its 200th anniversary year.
A shanty band from Presteigne has raised nearly £3,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in its 200th anniversary year.
A shanty band from Presteigne has raised nearly £3,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in its 200th anniversary year.
The Press Gangers have been raising money throughout the year with a calendar of gigs across Wales and beyond.
The shanty band is made up of eight men based in Presteigne. Peter Wright, Simon Lee, Terry Wells, John Weeks, David Williams, Bill Robinson, Richard Beasley and David Thompson, who all get together to sing and play shanties.
This year, the group has been putting on concerts to raise funds for the RNLI and Wales Air Ambulance.
The group have been getting together to sing shanty music for more than two years.
Their recent gigs have been at various local venues, but they also played at Birmingham NEC earlier this year.
Last month, crowds gathered in Radnor Community Hall to watch the Press Gangers and the Pop Choir from Presteigne. This evening alone raised £320 for the RNLI.
So far, the group have raised a total of £2,910, and they have their final gig of the year at Lyonshall Village Hall on Friday, December 13.
Simon Lee, a member of the Press Gangers, said: "We’re so pleased to have raised so much money for the RNLI, doing something that we love.
"Our concerts have been a real success, it’s been great to see so many people coming to support us and donating to saving lives at sea.
"Through our support for the charity and fundraising events, we’ve met some of the local RNLI volunteers who dedicate so much to the lifeboats.
"They always give us a really warm welcome.
"Our group are looking forward to putting on more concerts in aid of the RNLI next year."
Emma Macdonald, RNLI community manager, said: "We’re incredibly grateful to the Press Gangers for choosing to raise funds for us and be a part of this historic year as we celebrate our 200th anniversary.
"But the band has been a fantastic support and ambassadors for the RNLI, even before 2024 and we see them as part of our one crew family.
"We rely on donations to power our lifesaving mission, so without the generosity and enthusiasm of people like the Press Gangers, we couldn’t carry on saving lives at sea.
"A huge thank you to them for their efforts and to everyone who’s attended a gig and donated."
Press Gangers members stood in front of Aberdyfi Lifeboat Station with smiles and their fists in the air, alongside RNLI volunteer crew.
