A volunteer who has developed a passion for conservation is organising a gig to raise awareness of the issue.

Steve Alger, from Ellesmere Port, is a local volunteer for Sea Shepherd UK.

The worldwide conservation charity, founded in 1977, is launching a new campaign to protect pilot whales and other dolphins in the Faroes led by the UK division.

“Personally I am arranging to put on an fundraiser on Saturday, January 4 at Whitby Sports and Social Club using local talent to raise awareness of what we do and raise much needed funds to help with the new campaign,” explained Steve.

Born in Chester, Steve went to Whitby Heath primary and Bishops High in Chester before studying to become a chef at West Cheshire College.

“Over the past three years with all this talk about people going green and more eco-friendly I became more conscious about the things I was doing,” said Steve.

“This is where I started watching a TV programme called Whale Wars and found out about Sea Shepherd.

“The more I watched the more I became interested in what they did and the more I researched about them.

“When I found what they stood for was ‘defend, conserve and protect’ the interest started to turn into an passion.

“This is when I got talking to more and more Sea Shepherd volunteers via Facebook and this gave me the drive to send in the application form to become an volunteer.

“As I am one of a small team of North West volunteers and I am new to the Sea Shepherd family I wanted to put Sea Shepherd on the map in the area and raise as much money as possible for the new campaign.”

Hooton-based businessman John Stratton has agreed to fund the gig so that all monies raised are donated to the charity and the club has donated the hall and brought in local acts.

These include up and coming singer Chelsea Ackers, Tiffa Jenkins, a singer/guitarist/songwriter and well known covers band doing the pub scene Problem Child.

Steve himself will be DJ between acts and at the end.

He says the event will inform people of Sea Shepherd and will include a raffle with prizes raging from local restaurant vouchers to an sports car experience track day and many more.

Tickets £3 are available by e-mailing your name, address and telephone number to algee_reunited@hotmail.com. Doors open 7.30pm.