Songs of the Centenary winners

You can now download the Songs of the Centenary album from Apple Music and Spotify!

In partnership with Dave Stewart Entertainment, with the kind support of IVE and powered by Trackd we are delighted to see Songs of the Centenary inspire children and young people far and wide to use music to mark the centenary. The winners were presented with their awards at the Never Such Innocence Awards Ceremony at the Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks, in London and performed their songs to the guests.

The winning song of The Royal British Legion 2017 'Thank You' Competition, Colourful World by Ysgol y Tywyn, can be viewed here.

We have also continued our poetry and art competition for the fourth year running. The winning poems and artwork can be found here.

School Years 5-6 / Ages 9-11

Winners: Hasting Hill Academy, This Girl Can

Don’t tell us that we cannot
The W.R.A.F are coming in hot
You sit upon your golden throne
But all the while the bombs are thrown
We can do whatever the boys can do!

Yeah we can do whatever the boys can do!
The W.R.A.F is coming for you!
We’re going to prove the papers wrong
We’ll fight so brave and sing our song
The W.R.A.F is coming for you!

The girls who are up in the sky
Fight just as hard as fly as high
Fighting fit and ready to go
We’ll make sure everybody knows
That we can do whatever the boys can do!

Marty visited the school for a free songwriting workshop, and the pupils wrote 'This Girl Can'

The group performed their song at Sunderland Minster for other schools and the great and good of the community!

As the winners of their age group, Hasting Hill were invited to London where they sang for the VIPs!

'This Girl Can' was written in a workshop facilitated by Never Such Innocence Artist in Residence Marty Longstaff, and was inspired by the formation of the Women's Royal Air Force in 1918 - see page 71 of the Fourth Edition resource for more!

School Years 7-9 / Ages 11-14

Winners: Lossiemouth High School, The Sky is the Limit

Lossiemouth High School performed their song at a Never Such Innocence roadshow hosted by RAF Lossiemouth

I wonder what is up there
hiding in the sky
Do the birds all know the answer?
If they do then why don’t I?
I want to be there with them
An eye up in the clouds
Others born before me
Felt the same. They make us proud

Chorus
For a hundred years we’ve tried
To reach the limits of the sky
We fly so high
And for a hundred years we’ve soared
And we will forever more
We fly so high

They fly into the heavens
Knowing they might die
I think of all their loved ones
And then tears fill my eyes
I hear the sound of thunder
I’m shocked unto the core
We hear the planes pass by us
Set to face what is in store

Chorus x2

'The Sky is the Limit' was written in a workshop facilitated by Never Such Innocence Artist in Residence Marty Longstaff

School Years 10-11 / Ages 14-16

Winner: Lydia Grigg, Remember

Lydia sang 'Remember' at the Awards Ceremony after entering the competition by herself

Lydia composed the music for 'Remember' as well as writing the lyrics!

Lydia accepted her certificate from General Sir Gordon Messenger, and Jono Hart of Dave Stewart Entertainment

One, two, three steps across the border.
They see familiar soils, familiar water.
They’re home they’re safe and yet their minds still suffer.
Yes, bruises fade but memories can’t recover.

It’s easy to forget the life that’s been lost if it hasn’t affected us.
It’s hard to look at and read the name in stone, knowing they didn’t return home.
But today we remember you
And always, we remember you.

They were told that they’d be home before the leaves fall,
Then autumn passed, then weeks, then months, then years formed.
The countless days they were away they did not know.
If they would die, survive, return and be alone.

We are free because of you
We all believe because of you
And I want to thank you, thank you
Now we can all be individual and be who we want to, because of you.
(We remember you, we remember you)

But today we remember you
And always, we remember you.