By Isle of Wight Observer
By Roz Whistance
There was plenty of yo‑ho‑hoing in the cloisters at Holy Trinity Church, Bembridge, on Sunday afternoon – but no rum was needed! – as International Women’s Day was marked with music, laughter, and a celebration of strong women raising money for serious causes. The event supported Wight forces, and Pop’s Wood Nature Reserves, while also highlighting charities working in Ukraine.
The Sea Gels, a joyously raucous all‑female shanty group, handed out crib sheets so the audience could join in. They had no trouble whipping up the atmosphere with songs about rum and grog, leaving loved ones in Liverpool, a ship’s cat determined to scratch the mast down, and a pointed dig at a notorious Floating Bridge.
They were joined by singer‑songwriter, Nicole Tesseyman, The Cornish Lark, whose sweet yet powerful voice carried songs of her home county. Her set ranged from gazing out of her St Ives window, while cleaning, to the tradition of pickling fish in hard times, to moving tales of lost fishermen. “You can predict the weather but you can’t predict the sea,” she sang. “If she wants you, she will take you.”
Organiser, Maureen Forster, said: “We wanted to celebrate strong women in a man’s world with all‑women performers.” Maureen runs Aggie Weston’s, which provides pastoral support for Royal Navy, Marine and Royal Fleet Auxiliary members and their families, and she said Wight forces shares similar aims.
During the interval, Phillip Sard introduced two more “strong women”: Imogen Baden-Powell, the inspiration behind Pop’s Wood, and Jan Dyer, who raises funds and delivers aid to war‑torn Ukraine. Jan described supporting 37 isolated elderly residents in Kherson, repairing an orphanage roof, helping animal shelters and even funding a funeral for a drone‑strike victim.
The event raised £280 for Pop’s Wood and Wight forces, with £35 from the tombola going to Jan’s work.
