Page 6 - Oxted Local June 2025

6 June 2025
•
Oxted Local 
info@oxtedlocal.co.uk www.oxtedlocal.co.uk www.facebook.com/oxtedlocalmagazine www.instagram.com/oxtedlocal
Meet the Dockyard
Dogs - Oxted’s Very
Own Shanty Band
You don’t need to be a sailor—or even much of a singer—to join the
Dockyard Dogs. You just need a sense of fun, a fondness for sea shanties,
and a willingness to raise a pint (and some money) for the RNLI.
Founded in December 2022 by seasoned event producer and creative
director Grant Campbell, the Dockyard Dogs are a raucous, heartwarming
shanty group based out of the Crown Inn in Oxted. With a rotating cast
of around 14 members and a mission to support Tower Lifeboat Station
on the Thames, this joyful crew has been making waves both musically
and charitably.
Before turning his attention to sailor songs and fundraising, Grant built
a career orchestrating some of the biggest live events in the UK. He’s
worked alongside industry giants like Lord Coe and Harvey Goldsmith,
producing large-scale sporting spectacles such as the MLB and NFL
London series, Formula 1 events, and major music festivals.
“I’d always supported the RNLI,” he explains, “but during COVID
my industry took a hit, and I found myself at a loose end. I started
volunteering at RNLI HQ and was connected with the City of London
Committee. That’s when the idea for the Dockyard Dogs started to form.”
Drawing on his background in live entertainment, Grant initially
experimented with concepts like sailing cinemas and river gigs, before
riding the TikTok wave of sea shanty mania. “Shanties are brilliant,” he
says. “They’re part of our heritage, everyone can join in, and you don’t
need instruments—or even a good voice. They’re working songs, built for
teamwork, not perfection.”
And teamwork is something the
Dockyard Dogs have in abundance.
Among the standout voices are
Peter, a classically trained opera
singer and political commentator;
Kevin, a seasoned sailor with a
booming voice honed from barking
orders at sea; Cliff, their in-house
shanty rapper; and Tom, their
senior statesman. The rest of the
pack includes chefs, civil servants,
landlords, retirees, and even a
former child theatre star. “We’ve
got a pretty diverse crew,” says
Grant. “We rehearse every Thursday
night at the Crown Inn—beer
definitely helps.”
What’s next for the Dogs? “We’re
at We Have Ways Fest this summer,
planning a Tower Station gig, and
heading to Falmouth Sea Shanty
Festival next year. We’re obviously
also waiting for Glastonbury to
reply to our emails…” he laughs.
You never know!
There’s also an ambitious plan
for September: “We’re going to
attempt the longest-ever sea
shanty—six hours of Drunken
Sailor, streamed live from the pub
with new verses contributed by the
public. We’ll need over a thousand
verses. We might even get AI to
help!”
New members are always welcome,
but as the group grows, Grant’s
vision is to create a wider network
of shanty collectives supporting
RNLI stations around the UK.
“We’ve already been approached
by a band in Winchester who might
become our first offshoot.”
Whether you want to sing, shout, or
simply support, you can follow the
crew at @dockyarddogs on social
media. No musical experience
required—just a bit of spirit and a
love for a good old-fashioned sea
song.
By Sophie Martin