Sunderland veterans join charity single in bid to be this year's Christmas No 1

City veterans struck a chord as they joined forces with a national bid to make the top spot in the music charts this Christmas.

Six Sunderland veterans and the city’s Mayor have joined veterans and military families from across the country to record an original Christmas single, which it’s hoped will clinch the top spot.

Single, We’re Still Here, was written and is sung by Afghanistan veteran and former Royal Engineer, Stu Mendelson.

The record brings together Veterans in Crisis Sunderland, The Muster Point in Hertfordshire and Military Wives Choirs, featuring singers from Chicksands and Henlow Choir.

The Sunderland vocals were recorded at The Bunker in Stockton Road, where veterans from Veterans in Crisis were joined by Mayor of Sunderland, Cllr Robert Hutchinson, who also sings on the track.

The collaboration reflects the strong relationship between Veterans in Crisis and The Muster Point, but also a wider message about bringing the North and South together.

Stu said: “When you serve, nobody cares whether you're from Sunderland or Stevenage. You serve together as one.

“The wars eventually disappear from the newspapers, but the people who served in them and their families don't. We're still here.

“I wanted to bring the Armed Forces community together and show what we're capable of when we get behind something. Now we're going to aim high and have a proper crack at Christmas No.1.”

Stu served with the Royal Engineers and was seriously injured by an IED while deployed in Afghanistan in 2009. He later co-founded The Muster Point, a veterans' community in Stevenage which now has a strong connection with Veterans in Crisis Sunderland.

The project grew from Stu's 2025 Christmas parody, Do They Know It’s Muster Time?, which went from idea to release in just six weeks and reached No.60 on the iTunes chart.

This year he wanted to find out what the Armed Forces community could achieve with an original song.

For the Sunderland veterans involved, the recording session itself had an impact.

Veterans in Crisis founder Ger Fowler said: “I’ve never seen such big smiles on their faces. They came out absolutely beaming.”

Around 25 people from the Armed Forces community have contributed vocals to the finished record.

We’re Still Here will be released at 11am on Armistice Day, 11 November 2026, across major streaming and download platforms.

After production costs, money generated by the song will be divided between Veterans in Crisis Sunderland, The Muster Point and Military Wives Choirs.