FOLK enthusiasts will raise vital funds for a blood cancer charity at Lyme Folk Weekend next month.

Money will be raised for the Anthony Nolan Trust through events commemorating the 50th anniversary of 'Marrow Bones', a famous collection of English folk songs by Frank Purslow.

First published in 1965, 'Marrow Bones' brought together for the first time unpublished English folk songs from the early 1900s, mainly from Dorset and Hampshire. Frank Purslow was a musician, singer and writer who set out to rescue hundreds of traditional English folk songs before they disappeared from memory.

Many of these songs are now staples of the folk repertoire, but could easily have been lost forever, without Purslow’s efforts. Steeleye Span, for example, drew heavily on the Marrow Bones songbook and its re-printing this year makes the material available for new generations of singers and musicians.

Trevor Hewett and Sheila Thackwray will host two afternoons devoted to Marrow Bones, with sing-a-longs and music-making in the Langmoor Marquee overlooking Lyme Bay. Their aim is to sing all 100 songs contained in the collection during the weekend, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the book’s publication.

The link between Marrow Bones and the Anthony Nolan Trust is based on the book’s title. Anthony Nolan saves the lives of people with blood cancer, such as leukaemia, by matching them to people willing to donate their bone marrow, or blood stem cells, for lifesaving transplants. Last year the charity helped find a match for more than 1,200 people with blood cancer and other blood disorders.

Julie Sheppard, the festival’s publicist said: “We’re delighted to welcome Marrow Bones to Lyme Regis with their sing-a-thon – and help people with blood cancer.

"It costs £100 to recruit each person to the Anthony Nolan register, so fundraising is vital to this lifesaving work – the more potential donors recruited, the more lives saved. We hope festival-goers and visitors alike will enjoy Frank Purslow’s wonderful songs and then dig deep”.

Marrow Bones sessions will be held on both Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23 between 2pm and 4pm at the Langmoor Marquee.

The sessions are free but donations to Anthony Nolan will be welcome. More information on the work of the charity, please visit anthonynolan.org