BBC project to mark listeners' lives in song
BBCA woman who overcame injury to train as a firefighter is among five BBC Radio listeners who have had their lives portrayed in original folk songs.
Hannah Lancaster, from Ludlow, Shropshire, suffered years of debilitating headaches after a cycle crash.
Hers is among the stories brought to life in BBC Radio 2's 21st Century Folk project, with the songs being unveiled at the end of June. Hannah's - called The Long Way Home - has been written by Birmingham folk artist Katherine Priddy.
The project also features listeners Andy Tams, from Staffordshire, Victor Macauley, from London, Teessider Jackie Freeman and Jonathan Doku from Glasgow.
The finished songs, all composed and performed by well-known folk artists, will be broadcast on BBC Sounds and Radio 2 from 29 June.
Presenter Mark Radcliffe said: "I couldn't be prouder of 21st Century Folk - yet again creating top-quality original songs to celebrate the stories of tribulations overcome by five remarkable individuals."
Previous series featured themes including north-east England and the 200th birthday of Britain's railways.
Hannah Lancaster took up cycling as an outlet while coping with her role as a young carer for her sister Sally. On a training ride, she crashed at 40mph and suffered a brain injury before coming back to qualify as a firefighter.
Andy Tams is a nurse from Walsall in the West Midlands, now living in Staffordshire.
His uncle was killed on the road at Christmas time in 1974, aged just 18. Thirty-five years later, he took his Uncle Adrian's old leather boxing gloves to BBC One's The Repair Shop where they were restored by master saddler, Suzie Fletcher.
His story has been turned into The Hand of Kindness (Adrian's Song) by singer and guitarist Martin Simpson.
Victor Macauley, who was born in Sierra Leone and became a child soldier in the civil war there from the age of just six, was supported through his PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) by charities including Arsenal in the Community.
His tale - Victor's Song - is told by Passenger (Mike Rosenberg) who had a 2012 hit with Let Her Go.
Folk duo Megson, who originally come from Teesside, have written "Jackie Grealish" - the nickname of Jackie Freeman, who was invited to train with the England Women football squad in the 1980s but had to reject the offer as she could not cover the travel costs.
Jonathan Doku completes the stories for the new series. He is a passionate runner and a regular sight on Glasgow's streets, where he's known for running bare-chested.
His story is being told by former Fairground Attraction singer Eddi Reader and her husband and musical partner John Douglas, in their song Jonathan is Running.
Helen Thomas, head of BBC Radio 2, said: "Folk music has always been a very important part of what we do at Radio 2, and I'm delighted to bring back the multi-award winning 21st Century Folk for its fourth series."
She thanked the listeners who had "so generously shared their inspirational stories", and praised the musical creativity of the artists which "so perfectly encapsulates the joy and emotion within."
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