A LOCAL musician has teamed up with past and present students to record a new festive charity single.

What Christmas is For is a single written by Fiona Lander from Bellingham, which features 12 singers from Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School.

Fiona, a musician known for being one half of the folk duo Landermason with her husband Paul, specifically chose to incorporate young people who she felt would gain valuable voice coaching and studio experience through the process.

The track is the second to be produced by LAMA Records, the first being the 2015 recording of Winter Carol, which also featured a host of young singers, and raised almost £1,500 for disabled children at Percy Hedley Foundation.

“What Christmas is For is a reflective song with a strong message about the pressures of unnecessary spending at this time of year,” Fiona said.

“All the proceeds raised from both physical and download sales of the track will go to the the North Tyne and Redesdale Partnership, a really brilliant local charity that supports projects for young people in the rural community.”

A bonus track on the CD is another of Fiona’s choral works Holy Infant Child, which was commissioned by award-winning North East chamber choir Voices of Hope in 2018.

What Christmas is For is released on November 15.

The song will be available to buy as a download at www.fionalandercomposer.bandcamp.com whilst physical copies can be purchased from Core Music in Hexham and George Jennings Fruit & Veg shop in Bellingham.

Live performances will take place on November 28 at St Andrew’s Church, Corbridge, December 6 at United Reformed Church, Bellingham, Northumberland, December 17 at Hexham Abbey, and December 20 at Queen Elizabeth High School’s carol service.