Refuge Write Project Song – Notes of Thanks!

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We were delighted to write the song around gratitude for The Yellow Book project, it has been wonderful to link our passion for music to the wellbeing project work that we do – Phil Seaman and me (Pete) worked on the track over the summer, practicing and sending versions back and forth to each other – Doug Jenkinson notated the drum parts as we aimed to create an upbeat and uplifting track for The 5th Edition of The Yellow Book which is soon to be created from this project! 2013 saw 10,000 copies of the first yellow book wellbeing resource distributed nationwide for free! 10 years on and it is wonderful to be continuing to provide empowering wellbeing resources across the country. Thanks to all involved!

I had written: ‘New Song’ on a notepad to remind me to write the lyrics! : ) – I took it down to Abbey Park in Leicester and sat at one of my favourite spots scribbling away watching the world go by – The song was put together to help inspire creativity for the next yellow book project. We are so grateful to everyone who has supported this project over the years. For myself, after years of challenge in my early 20’s with Bipolar and Hospitalisation it has been fantastic to help run this project and work with so many people in so many sectors. I was told that I may never be able to work again so it was wonderful to eventually be able to set up the small not for profit CIC Company ‘Develop Insite’ with Claire Evans to continue the work. Claire is our Company Director and also owner of The Centre of Wellbeing in Sawbridgeworth!

It was a real pleasure to write these lyrics around things to be grateful for!

We all really enjoyed writing and recording the song with Adam Ellis at Deadline Studios in Leicester. Thanks to Doug for filming and photographing the recording as his company James Douglas Films

It was incredible then, a few months later, to be joined in the studio by so many music artists providing vocal lines on the song. An absolute joy to then head to High Wych Primary School in Sawbridgeworth with Adam Ellis and James Douglas Films to record The Primary School Yellow Book Choir made up from pupils of the 5 Sawbridgeworth schools!

Acclaimed body artist Emma Fay Created this beautiful piece of concept art for the project inspired by gratitude and featuring Charlotte Parker see more here

Thanks to everyone involved.

What are you most grateful for?

Notes of Thanks – We love a play on words in our projects – musical notes, but we also hope that those who submit creativity to the project will leave a short note of thanks alongside their images to uplift others

We look forward to seeing your creative submissions!

Notes of Thanks – Lyrics:

oooo wo we’re singing notes of thanks yeah
oooo wo we’re singing notes of thanks

Woke up this morning and the sun greeted my eyes
Feeling grateful for this day
Walked out this morning and my smile was greeted by
Another smile passing me by

Thoughts arise within me of those folk that helped to lift me throughout my life
Now memories flowing of the times I helped to raise a smile
in others lives

Singing notes of thanks
It’s the key to be
Aware of all the gifts
That surround me

Singing notes of thanks
It’s the key to be
Presence is the gift
unwraps before me

Noticing nature pass me by, and I smile
Surrounded here by so much life
Now memories flow of all the species that connected with my life
I raise a smile

oooo wo we’re singing notes of thanks yeah
oooo wo we’re singing notes of thanks

Phil in home studio

Once written and finalised we headed over to Deadline Studios, where Adam Ellis recorded, mixed and mastered the song. A version was sent then to all the others singers to learn before they all joined us in the studio to record lines on the song

Adam Ellis Deadline Studios Leicester

Doug Jenkinson of James Douglas Films and Refuge Drummer, filmed and photographed the session – he’s a magician look no hands!!

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