Former British soldier Stu Mendelson is bringing veterans and military families together for a Christmas chart campaign with a message beyond the festive season. His original single, ‘We’re Still Here’, will be released at 11:00am on Armistice Day, 11 November 2026, with the ambition of reaching Christmas No.1.
Written, composed and arranged by Mendelson, the track features veterans from The Muster Point in Hertfordshire and Veterans in Crisis Sunderland, alongside singers from Chicksands and Henlow Military Wives Choirs. Mendelson also takes the lead vocal, having independently organised and funded the project and overseen its production, recording and distribution.
The song draws on experiences that are deeply personal to its creator. Mendelson joined the British Army as a Royal Engineer in 2005 and was seriously injured by a Taliban improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in December 2009. He lost his right eye and was completely blind for several weeks before recovering sight in his left eye. After military service, he faced PTSD, mental health difficulties and addiction, becoming clean and sober in 2023.
“I didn’t want to simply write a song about veterans. I wanted the Armed Forces community to be part of making it,” Mendelson says. That intention sits at the heart of the recording, which highlights the challenges that can continue for former service personnel and their families long after conflict leaves the headlines.
Money generated by the record will help support the participating choir community, The Muster Point and Veterans in Crisis Sunderland. As the campaign develops through November and December, Mendelson hopes the single will bring veterans’ experiences to a wider audience while offering a message of connection to those facing a difficult Christmas.
