Phil Beer's earlier post (with typical modesty) failed to mention the part that Show Of Hands have had in bringing Fisherman's Friends to a wider audience. They were already very well known for their weekly performances in Port Isaac but Phil & Steve, having sung with them at a charity fundraiser for the RNLI, have twice invited them to sing with them at their Royal Albert Hall concerts.

On a personal note I can vouch for the fact that they are a wonderful bunch of people. At the last RAH concert three years ago Phil & Steve asked a handful of singers they knew to augment Fisherman's Friends harmonies on a couple of songs (not that they really needed it) - me being one of them. Needless to say I was absolutely terrified about stepping on to the famous stage and was thinking of ways to back out but the Cornish boys made sure I wasn't at the back of the line and more or less frogmarched me on. They were totally unfazed by the occasion and encouraged me throughout - and what a performance they gave.

I'm not sure how much of the million quid they will see but they deserve every penny - if only for their services to the RNLI, and the beleaguered Cornish tourist industry.