Winter is the season for community pharmacies to boost their income. With cases of flu rising, each year it’s the same ol’ situation as pharmacies offer vaccinations to meet the demand from those wanting to protect from potential health issues. 

But the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex integrated care board (ICB) has come up with a novel way of encouraging people to get their jabs by teaming up with a Brightlingsea-based sea shanty group to record a song promoting vaccinations.  

It’s chief executive Ed Garratt OBE praised The Motley Crew for “all their hard work and support” as the lyrics tell the public where you can get a flu vaccination, from pharmacies to walk-in clinics and GP surgeries. 

A far cry from the glam metal style of their slightly wilder namesakes Mötley Crüe, the 13-member strong group use the tune of the traditional shanty John Kanaka to promote the importance of the flu jab. 

Read more: Starmer gets flu jab as 4.3m get vaccinated 

The Motley Crew’s David Bridle said they were “delighted” to help after they had all received their flu jabs. 

“It’s been a fun song to write and record and we’ll be sure to sing it at our gigs this winter,” he added. 

Read more: Lincolnshire Co-op offers free flu jabs at the footy 

The group previously helped increase Covid vaccine uptake in 2021 with another sea shanty. 

NHS England fears the worst of the flu season is yet to come after it revealed last week Australia had its biggest flu season in history, often said to be an indicator of what is to come in England. 

Read more: Spinebusters, mixtapes and silliness: The rapper-wrestler pharmacy student 

England chief nursing officer Duncan Barton issued an “urgent SOS to the eligible people who have yet to get jabbed this year”. 

It comes as C+D reported last month that the Lincolnshire Co-op sent its pharmacy teams to the three professional Lincolnshire football teams games as part of an initiative for people to have “easier access to get their vaccination on a walk-in basis”.