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Family

Local BBC station helps daughter recreate a touching song made by her ailing dad 56 years ago

dads and daughter, bbc radio, lullaby
Photo by Heike Mintel on Unsplash
Männerfaust und Babyfaust

Brian Teasdale, loving father and gifted musician, wrote his baby girl a special lullaby to coax her into sleep. That sweet, soothing tune was simply titled “Little Girl.”

According to Radio Today, Teasdale had been a prolific creative all his life, making beautiful works just like his daughter's lullaby. Then, 10 years ago, he suffered from a brain injury in a brutal assault, and could no longer compose music.

Earlier this year, his daughter Karen Robson received the news that her father had contracted COVID-19, and she was told his days might be numbered. Robson found the absolute best way to honor her father, by bringing his music back to life.

Determined to make it happen, she reached out to her local radio station (BBC Radio Newscastle) and asked for their help in recreating Teasdale’s “Little Girl” song.

Music students from Sunderland College teamed up under the band name “Brian and the Buttercups,” and made their own version based on Teasdale’s original.

The freshly made tune has all those endearing nostalgia-worthy sounds: a vintage-y record crackle, soft ukulele (at least I think it’s a ukulele … whatever instrument it is, it’s lovely), a kind of lilting, wistful male singer. And of course, Teasdale's love for his daughter still shines through in the touching lyrics.

You can listen to it here. It’s easy to see why his Robson remembers this childhood gem so fondly.

On Friday, December 3, a father’s little lullaby—made 56 years ago—found its way to the public when it played on the radio. And it received a huge reaction from listeners. Sunderland College reported that the station received numerous calls asking where they could purchase the song.

Tony Wilson, Sunderland College Music Lecturer, even secured a record deal with Sapien Records Ltd. The single was released, complete with cover art based on a photo of Robson as a child. Talk about a pleasant surprise.

Karen Robson was understandably moved. She said on the air:

“I’m absolutely overwhelmed and I can’t thank everyone enough; Sunderland College, BBC Radio Newcastle; everybody who has helped do this for my dad. This song means everything to me and now everyone can hear it. It’s an absolute dream.”

But she wasn’t the only one touched. BBC Radio Newcastle’s on-air host Gilly Hope shared how she immediately knew the original recording was “special,” as it brought the entire studio to tears. But even she didn’t anticipate how masterful the re-recording would be.

“The brilliant music degree students and staff at Sunderland College did a fantastic job on the track – their version made us all cry all over again. Like so many of the best bits of radio, it started with a listener calling in to tell us her story and we were thrilled to be a part of making such a difference to Karen and her dad,” she said.

Robson's tribute to her father is a heartwarming metaphor for how parents pass down their legacy. These stories, traditions and memories continue to live on long after they’ve passed.

They might take on new life, however one thing remains the same: love, just like that lullaby created all those years ago, is always timeless.

Planet

Easy (and free!) ways to save the ocean

The ocean is the heart of our planet. It needs our help to be healthy.

Ocean Wise

Volunteers at a local shoreline cleanup

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The ocean covers over 71% of the Earth’s surface and serves as our planet’s heart. Ocean currents circulate vital heat, moisture, and nutrients around the globe to influence and regulate our climate, similar to the human circulatory system. Cool, right?

Our ocean systems provide us with everything from fresh oxygen to fresh food. We need it to survive and thrive—and when the ocean struggles to function healthfully, the whole world is affected.

Pollution, overfishing, and climate change are the three biggest challenges preventing the ocean from doing its job, and it needs our help now more than ever. Humans created the problem; now humans are responsible for solving it.

#BeOceanWise is a global rallying cry to do what you can for the ocean, because we need the ocean and the ocean needs us. If you’re wondering how—or if—you can make a difference, the answer is a resounding YES. There are a myriad of ways you can help, even if you don’t live near a body of water. For example, you can focus on reducing the amount of plastic you purchase for yourself or your family.

Another easy way to help clean up our oceans is to be aware of what’s known as the “dirty dozen.” Every year, scientists release an updated list of the most-found litter scattered along shorelines. The biggest culprit? Single-use beverage and food items such as foam cups, straws, bottle caps, and cigarette butts. If you can’t cut single-use plastic out of your life completely, we understand. Just make sure to correctly recycle plastic when you are finished using it. A staggering 3 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans annually. Imagine the difference we could make if everyone recycled!

The 2022 "Dirty Dozen" ListOcean Wise

If you live near a shoreline, help clean it up! Organize or join an effort to take action and make a positive impact in your community alongside your friends, family, or colleagues. You can also tag @oceanwise on social if you spot a beach that needs some love. The location will be added to Ocean Wise’s system so you can submit data on the litter found during future Shoreline Cleanups. This data helps Ocean Wise work with businesses and governments to stop plastic pollution at its source. In Canada, Ocean Wise data helped inform a federal ban on unnecessary single-use plastics. Small but important actions like these greatly help reduce the litter that ends up in our ocean.

Ocean Wise, a conservation organization on a mission to restore and protect our oceans, is focused on empowering and educating everyone from individuals to governments on how to protect our waters. They are making conservation happen through five big initiatives: monitoring and protecting whales, fighting climate change and restoring biodiversity, innovating for a plastic-free ocean, protecting and restoring fish stocks, and finally, educating and empowering youth. The non-profit believes that in order to rebuild a resilient and vibrant ocean within the next ten years, everyone needs to take action.

Become an Ocean Wise ally and share your knowledge with others. The more people who know how badly the ocean needs our help, the better! Now is a great time to commit to being a part of something bigger and get our oceans healthy again.

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