TRIBUTE SONG FOR TEACHER
A Sunderland singer-songwriter has written a tune in tribute to a much-loved school teacher who was murdered by her husband.
Julie Parkin was stabbed to death by her husband at their home in Castletown in June.
Adam Parkin has since been jailed for life with a minimum of 23 years after he pleaded guilty to murder and the attempted murder of another person.
The mum-of-two worked as a teacher at West Boldon Primary School and now Rob Burlinson has penned a song about the void she has left behind.
The 28-year-old, who was helped by his father and fellow musician Rob Snr, 54, with the arrangement of the piece, said he wanted to express the sadness felt by pupils.
“A family friend I have known all my life has kids at the school,” said the dad-oftwo, from Town End Farm.
“I got the idea to write the song, but I didn’t want to publish it anywhere until the family gave it the nod.
“I love writing songs so I said to the school that I would write it.
“It took me an hour-anda-half to write, and then my dad has done the mixing and mastering and made it sound really good.”
Rob said he had intended to release the song in September, but was delayed by a family bereavement.
“I have two kids and a fulltime job, but I have a studio in my loft conversion and from 5pm until 9pm on a Sunday, that’s my time, when I write my music. It was during one of those sessions that the song came about,” he said.
“The way the song was written, I didn’t know her personally, so it’s about how much of a big miss she is for all the kids from the school.
“I’ve been told she always had a smile on her face and was very lively.
“So I wrote about how much she is going to be missed in the corridors of the school.
He added: “I sent it to the school and they played it for the teachers. They were all crying.
He added: “The response I’ve had is nothing but good. I have had messages from people who I don’t know.
“Some of the teachers sent me long messages.”
“It’s about how much of a big miss she is for all of the kids” ROB BURLINSON