Kirsty Weakley provides Civil Society News’ annual festive countdown of songs hoping to make it to the number one spot on Christmas Day and raise money for charity.

The annual race for the Christmas number one spot is hotting up and as usual a few of the contenders are also raising money for charity.

In no particular order here are ten of our favourites.

1. Shakin’ Stevens: ‘Echoes of Merry Christmas Everyone’ for the Salvation Army

With 2015 marking the 30th anniversary of the iconic Christmas tune ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ Shakin’ Stevens has recorded a new version of the track in a folk rock style and is donating the proceeds to the Salvation Army.

The music video features examples of the charity’s work including emergency food parcels, meal runs, older people's lunch clubs, and drop-in sessions for homeless people.

Shaky is a long-time supporter of the Salvation Army and has personal connections to the charity.

The original version has become a festive classic and hopefully the more grown-up version can do the same.

The song is available as a CD for £3.99 or as an iTunes or Google Play download for 99p.

2. Irish and Kenyan schoolchildren: ‘Butterfly Child’ for The Thorn Tree Project

School children from Clonakilty in Ireland and the nomadic Samburu tribe from Northern Kenya have provided vocals for the track that is raising money for the Thorn Tree Project, which runs education projects in Kenya.

The song was the idea of the charity’s vice-president, Marilien Romme, and combines Irish melodic influences with Sub-Saharan African chanting. The Samburu tribe are known as Butterfly People because of their colourful robes, jewellery and head-gear, and this was the inspiration for the name of the song.

It’s a great example of connecting fundraisers and beneficiaries.

The song can be downloaded on iTunes for 79p.

3. NHS Choir: ‘A Bridge Over You’ for Carers UK and Mind

The NHS Choir has recorded a mashup of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘A Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and Coldplay’s ‘Fix You’, to celebrate “everything that is great about our NHS”.

Proceeds of the sale of the track will be mostly shared by Carers UK and Mind, including its sister charities in Scotland and Northern Ireland. A small percentage will also be distributed to smaller charities in the new year.

The chorists are one of this year’s favourites for the number one spot and are so serious about making it into the Christmas Chart that they’re encouraging people not to download it until 18 December.

More than 170,000 people have signed to a virtual event and the campaign has set up Facebook and Twitter accounts encouraging people to “Get the NHS to Christmas Number One” and is using the search term #LoveYourNHS.

4. The Black Feathers: ‘Winter Moves In’ for Marie Curie

Gloucestershire-based duo Sian Chandler and Ray Hughes have released ‘A Winter Moves In’ from their upcoming album to raise money for Marie Curie.

They said: “After losing somebody close to us last year and watching some of our friends cope with the reality and aftermath of terminal illness, it really feels like the right thing for us to try and use our music to raise money for this charity.”

The haunting melody and animated video are a timely reminder of the meaning of Christmas. Dare I suggest that this is more of tear-jerker than the John Lewis advert?

They have made the song available via their website in return for a donation to Marie Curie.

5. Alesha Dixon ‘People Need Love’ for the Family Holiday Association

Singer and Britain’s Got Talent judge, Alesha Dixon is donating the proceeds of her new Christmas song ‘People Need Love’ the Family Holiday Association, which arranges holidays for disadvantaged families.

The ballad, was written and produced by Alesha and Da Beat Freakz (Uche Ebele, Obi Ebele and AD) and remixed by Ash Howes.

Travel agent Thomson supported the effort by flying Alesha and some families who had benefitted from the charity to Lapland to film the video.

Alesha said: “The Family Holiday Association is a charity that’s close to my heart and one I’m proud to support. I think it’s incredibly important all year round, but most of all at Christmas time, for people to know that they’re loved and get to spend quality time with their loved ones. Seeing the families together in Lapland was definitely the highlight of the trip."

The uplifting track has everything that a perfect Christmas tune should: a catchy chorus, positive message and the bells.
‘People Need Love’ is available on iTunes and through streaming service Spotify.

6. Lethal Bizzle ‘Going to the Gym’

The rapper, Lethal Bizzle is releasing ‘Going to the Gym’ and is hoping his dench supporters will get it to number one, and raise money for charity.

He’s not yet decided which charity will benefit and has asked people to make suggestions by commenting on the YouTube video.

It’s not actually festive (more a message for January really), and apparently makes more sense if you are one of his Snapchat followers, but hypnotic nonetheless.

Warning: the track below contains explicit lyrics.

7. ActionAid Sweden: ‘All I Want for Christmas is a Goat’

ActionAid Sweden has produced an entire album sung by goats to raise awareness of the positive impact goats can have on communities living in harsh conditions.

The album features goats singing eight festive classics including ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Silent Night’ and ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’.

It may be a bit wacky but the story has been covered by media around the world who obviously think goats have something.

It is available on streaming service Spotify or on YouTube.

8. Lost Noise: ‘Pits and the Devil (Christmas is Cruel)’ for Shelter

Scottish duo, Lost Noise, have recorded a Christmas song and will donate all proceeds to homelessness charity Shelter.

Graham Shirreff and Stephen Coulthard, who make up Lost Noise, have been making music for over 20 years and said they are “proud” to be raising money for Shelter.

It’s another track reminding people of those less fortunate at Christmas, and wrapping the fairy lights around homeless people in the video is particularly impactful.

The song can be downloaded from iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon, or streamed on Spotify.

9. Out of the Blue: ‘Santa Baby’ for Helen and Douglas House Hospice

Our favourite all-male student a cappella choir, Out of the Blue, have produced another Christmas single to raise money for the Helen and Douglas House Hospice.

Made up of students from the universities in Oxford, Out of the Blue has been a long-term supporter of their local hospice. Last year’s the group’s Christmas charity single, ‘All I want for Christmas’ raised more than £7,500 for the charity.

As with previous tracks from Out of the Blue the song itself and accompanying music video are tremendous fun.

‘Santa Baby’ be downloaded from the group’s website in return for a donation.

10. Louisa Johnson: ‘Forever Young’ for Together for Short Lives and Shooting Star Chase

It’s something of a tradition for the winner of the X Factor to be one of the hot contenders for the number one spot, and raise money for charity.

This year the show’s youngest-ever winner, 17-year-old Louisa Johnson, is raising money for Together for Short Lives and Shooting Star Chase with a cover of ‘Forever Young’ by Bob Dylan. All Syco’s proceeds will be split equally between the two charities.

The winner's song has supported Together for Short Lives for a number of years, and last year the charity was the sole beneficiary of the record. George Osborne has announced that the government will refund the VAT paid on the single.

Whatever you think of Simon Cowell, and the manufactured pop industry, there’s no denying they massive power they have to raise money and awareness.

The song is available on CD, and can be downloaded or streamed.