LOCAL early music specialists, the Dorian Players, are putting on a concert to raise funds for St Mary's Hospice.

The group, which consists of six instrumentalists, will be joined for the Friday, May 15 (7.30pm) performance at Ulverston's St Mary's RC Church by soprano Cathy Styles, playing music from the 12th Century up until the late 16th Century.

They play in costume on copies of original instruments such as viol, hurdy-gurdy, gemshorn, crumhorn, cornamuse, medieval fiddle and harp, and the music is a mixture of songs, dances and instrumental pieces, and billed as 'easy to listen to.'

The audience will certainly recognise some of the tunes which were used in the recent BBC adaptation of Wolf Hall and other tunes such as Greensleeves, Now is the Month of Maying and songs from some of Shakespeare's plays. The concert's title Pastime with Good Company, is a song written by Henry VIII himself and will open Dorian's fundraiser.

Tickets will be available at the door. For further information telephone 01229-837680.