Singing gas engineer raises spirits during lockdown

Gas engineer Bobby Youle from Orpington, Kent, showed off a different kind of skill when he took to Facebook to remind people to stay at home during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Bobby joined a growing number of people turning to social media platforms to make videos encouraging people to stay home and comply with the lockdown rules.

As well as being a registered gas engineer since 2019, Bobby also sings in a band called Three’s Company, and so he naturally drew on those skills when creating his video.

He told Registered Gas Engineer: “My Dad’s been sending me videos since we’ve all been asked to stay home, and he sent me one of someone doing a parody song, so I wanted to try and do the same.”

Bobby chose to parody the song ‘That’s Life’ by Frank Sinatra, because it’s a song that he always sings at gigs with his band. He said: “It’s a song that always gets a reaction from everyone – the words are really relatable for everyone, so I decided to try and rewrite the lyrics to make it even more relevant to what we’re all facing at the moment. I wasn’t sure how it would go, but the new lyrics just came out – like it was meant to be.”

Bobby often uploads videos of himself singing to Facebook for his friends and family, and thought that this latest parody might make people smile, but he couldn’t have imagined the response. The video has been watched more than 44,000 times in the 10 days since it was posted on 30 March.

“I can’t believe how well it’s done – every time I check it’s had a few thousand more views – it’s amazing!” Bobby said.

Before becoming a gas engineer, Bobby was a plumber for many years before making the decision to study for his gas qualifications. “Becoming Gas Safe registered was probably the biggest achievement in my life,” he said. “What you have to go through in terms of tests and exams – I’ve never focused so hard in my life! But I’m very proud to be a gas engineer.”

Like many other gas engineers, Bobby is now staying at home during the COVID-19 outbreak, as is his business partner, who he says “taught him everything”.

“Even if you distance yourself, you’re going to be in contact with people, and I have a lot of vulnerable customers who are more than 90 years old. I’m still getting calls asking me to do regular work, but I’m just saying to people if it can wait, just leave it until later. It’s not worth the risk,” Bobby said.

To watch Bobby’s video, visit https://www.facebook.com/538585004/posts/10163090873570005