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11 December 2013

Salvation Army in Christmas chart battle

Alliance member, The Salvation Army, has entered the Christmas single chart battle by recording with world famous singer Aled Jones, Sir Terry Wogan and New Zealander Hayley Westenra as well as electric string quartet BOND

Christmas Dream will help raise money to support disadvantaged children and young people in the UK with all profits from the single going to the BBC Children in Need charity.

It's the third time Aled Jones and Terry Wogan have produced a Christmas single – with their 2008 version of the Bing Crosby and David Bowie classic Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth reaching number three in the UK music charts. Sir Terry's Floral Dance also reached number 21 in 1978, while Jones enjoyed a number five hit in 1985 with Walking In The Air.

Sir Terry Wogan said: "The Salvation Army are generous guys and girls of course, and it's always an honour to work with them. It's been great to work with the band as they're very talented musicians and an inspiration. They do a lot of great work at Christmas time and all year round". 

Dean Jones, sub-editor in The Salvation Army's music ministries unit put together the musical arrangement for BOND as well as the Portsmouth Citadel band. He said: "It's been a lovely opportunity to get involved with something that brings happiness to children at Christmas." 

Aled Jones added: "The Salvation Army is a fantastic organisation that works with people who are isolated or in need in every community, which is why it's been fitting to have them on board, to help us raise money for Children in Need this Christmas". 

Hayley Westenra said: "It's been fun and I am really excited to be a part of this track It's been really exciting to hear everything come together to create fantastic music and raise money for a worthy cause." 

John Hanchett, bandmaster of Portsmouth Citadel band, said: "This has been a lovely way for us to use our musical abilities to help others."

John Ellwood, The Salvation Army's southern divisional director for business administration, said: "People are very generous to The Salvation Army at this time of the year so it was a wonderful opportunity for us to give up some time for something so worthwhile. It was a pleasure to be playing tuba with so many gifted artists and when we all came together for the video shoot there was a great sense of camaraderie and fun. I really hope and pray that for those children whose lives are not as they should be, that through our efforts, their circumstances will change for the better."

The single will be available for download from iTunes on December 15. You can pre-order download now for 99p on iTunes or pre order the CD Christmas single for £5 online (price includes postage & packaging). 

To view a 30-second taster of the single go tohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7DT-OMaBh4