Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition

Subject: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 02 Jun 13 - 05:39 PM

Here is the winner of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance anthem writing competition, Dave Swann's, 'Rescue Me':

Rescue Me

The runner up was Bruce Elder's 'Care in the Air':

Care in the Air

Well done chaps! You will shortly be invited to meet the crews at their base and see how Helicopter Heroes is filmed, and we'll talk about CD tracks.

It was a great weekend! Steve Tilston was on top form, especially between the songs!

Tone

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 03 Jun 13 - 02:29 PM

Here's the live version recorded at Saturday's concert.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO6ffyov2kY&feature=youtu.be

Well done David. I guess that at the rate these threads drops on this site, few here really give a shit about Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Probably far too wrapped up in your own egos.

I hope I'm wrong....... but I don't think I am.

The event personally lost me £150.

You will care when you are being rescued from a car smash, that's for sure.

Tone

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: nutty
Date: 03 Jun 13 - 02:40 PM

The attitude is not nice canalwheeler.

Just how many Mudcatters do you think live in Yorkshire and how many Yorkshire mudcatters are songwriters and how many Yorkshire mudcatter songwriters have a song about the Air Ambulance to enter into your competition,?

How many entries did you have by the way?

You cant assume that just because people did not enter the competition - that they don't care about the YAA'

Yes, well done David - it's a good song - a worthy winner
Thanx for providing the links so we could listen

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 03 Jun 13 - 09:51 PM

Nutty, I think cw is reacting to the fact that not a single person posted to this thread the whole first day it was up - not to how many entries the competition did/did not receive.

I've posted threads that dropped like a stone (just this weekend, as a matter of fact) and it can be a bit demoralising... especially if you've put masses of time, energy and your own money into something you really care about (as cw clearly has) but which (I suspect) did not do nearly as well as you hoped/expected it would - and lost £150 to boot!.

cw - didn't spot your thread yesterday - sorry. Also sorry I couldn't make it to the event.

I do appreciate knowing which song won; I've been thinking about your event/competition on & off during the weekend and wondering how it went. I'm not surprised Dave Swann's song took the honours - it's a real good'un. I enjoyed seeing his performance at the event, too. (Have a blue clicky on me.)

You might bear in mind that even though no-one posted to your thread, it doesn't mean no-one read it. There are loads of threads I read but don't post to, for various reasons (rarely lack of interest; more often the feeling that what I'd post wouldn't really be that interesting for others to read).

FWIW, your competition (and threads) have made me aware of YAA when I wasn't before, and I'm prolly not the only one. And I've developed real respect and admiration for you - for working so hard to help/promote such a worthy cause.

Hope you feel better soon.

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 04 Jun 13 - 03:01 AM

When first published on Youtube I tipped the winning song as the winner... and well deserved too.

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 04 Jun 13 - 05:39 AM

"Hope you feel better soon."

£$->=

Thank you. I do.

In fact I was more disheartened by the apathy shown by the local residents of Sutton upon Derwent and Elvington. Despite our leaflet campaign, just four turned up, and three of them were organisers.

On Sunday we reduced the cost of the beer to £2.50 pp. We put a sign outside. 'Real Ale, £2.50pp in aid of Yorkshire Air Ambulance'.

Some members of the local tennis club came in and took advantage of it. They sat and listened to our singaround, appreciatively. When I checked what was in the collecting bucket, I found 46p.

Still, this is Yorkshire. As my mate, who is a birthright Yorkshireman says, "The Yorkshireman's attitude towards money is the same as the Scotsman's, but without the generosity!"

Back to the drawing board.

Tone

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 04 Jun 13 - 06:00 AM

"How many entries did you have by the way?"

Six. And I apologise for my above grumpiness. I'm soberish now.

Where Only Heroes Can Fly (Rescue Me) by David Swann

Care in the Air by Bruce Elder

A Matter of Time by Carrie Martin

You Got A Friend lyrics by Michael Hill

Turn Blades Turn by Pat Glenwright

Air Ambulance Men (and Women!)

I also wrote some lyrics, but didn't enter the song as I was the organiser of the competition. Anyone fancy recording it to YouTube for me?

AYE UP, THE 'ELICOPTER 'EROES
(To the tune of Glory, glory, halleluiah)

If you've crashed your car or bike or fallen off your 'orse

Or tangled with machinery and lost an arm or worse

Or tumbled off a rock-face and you're bleeding in the gorse

Well, 'elp is on its way

Chorus
Aye up, the 'elicopter 'eroes, Aye up, the 'elicopter 'eroes

Aye up, the 'elicopter 'eroes. "Naah then!", they will say.


You can tell they're coming by the thumping of the blades
They're flying o'er the Pennines and the hills and vales and glades
They're the paramedics with their pain-killers and aids
Their 'elp is on its way

Chorus

It's the yellow chopper that is flying through the blue
Soon they'll be a-'overing and landing next to you
They're the local 'elimed, the pilot and the crew
And 'elp is on its way

Chorus

They'll find you in a thicket or a snicket if you're there
At ninety miles an air they will wizz you through the air
Soon you'll land in 'ospital in very special care
Yes 'elp is on its way

Chorus

Lets not forget the ground staff who all deserve our praise
And those who do the maintenance in 'angers at the base
Or volunteers and donors who give in many ways
So 'elp is on its way
        
Chorus
Aye up, the 'elicopter 'eroes, Aye up, the 'elicopter 'eroes

Aye up, the 'elicopter 'eroes. "Naah then!", they will say.

Tone

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Rockhen
Date: 04 Jun 13 - 09:09 AM

It is really hard organising events like this. Well done to you all and I think the fact that David will be singing his song all around the area will be an extra bit of publicity for the Air Ambulance. I am sure David wouldn't mind taking fliers with him to gigs as it may get you an extra supporter or two. It is a long hard slog and it is very demoralising to see so little in the bucket. I feel saddened that so many genuinely don't value live music. I don't think they would put that as a tip with their meal in a restaurant. Come on world. Live music is a wonderful thing especially when it is of such high quality as David and others. Congratulations to David on a great song and to everyone who entered. It takes an awful lot of work to write a song and get it ready for performing. Well done, all, Helen x

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 04 Jun 13 - 09:14 AM

Kind words, Helen. thank you. Tone

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 04 Jun 13 - 02:18 PM

Tone,
I can't help thinking that your event would have been far more successful taking place in somewhere more central and accessible like York itself. I'm sure Roland would have welcomed your event as part of the York Folk weekend. I'm not aware that either Sutton or Elvington have any previous for folk events or songwriting. We have run events at The Yorkshire Farming Museum at Murton just a few miles away with some success, but again there is already footfall as it's a museum.

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 04 Jun 13 - 03:14 PM

Yes, thanks Steve. That is one of the considerations we are making for a possible repeat next year. But the camping and barbecue are important and Sutton is quite a pleasant spot by the river, especially if the camping is free.

But that also makes my point too. Local folk fans, or some of them, did travel to see Steve as I thought they would, just as they sometimes travel to other village halls to see other well-known artists occasionally. Our problem was Bedale being on the same weekend. Maybe this is a case for organisers to get together in the winter and plan dates so they don't clash?

What surprised me was the lack of interest from Elvington or Sutton upon Derwent. I have heard it said that nobody knew it was on. That is nonsense. Our leaflet campaign took in the local pubs, the hall where the post office is, and even the local surgery.

OK, they might not have known who Steve Tilston was if they are not into folk, but they certainly know what Yorkshire Air Ambulance is. Maybe they think air ambulances are government funded. They aren't. Making that clear would be the focus of my next campaign.

I don't think any of the local media, papers, radio or TV, not even the beeb who air Helicopter Heroes, responded to our press releases either, although the online York Times gave us front page. Thanks Richard!

Obviously Yorkshire is a hard nut to crack!

Tone

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 04 Jun 13 - 03:37 PM

It might also be worth noting that Roland runs a folk newsletter sent by email and although this is mainly to publicise Black Swan he also includes other events in the area.

Subject: RE: Winner of the YAA Anthem Competition
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 04 Jun 13 - 05:37 PM

Yes. I had put flyers around the Black Swan, and sang at their last singaround. I had also made sure that they hadn't booked Steve Tilston this year. I was told it was a shame that we had booked the weekend before their festival, but a few did turn up anyway, bless 'em.

Tone