Veterans from Hertfordshire and Sunderland are joining singers from Chicksands and Henlow Military Wives Choirs for a recording intended to make the Armed Forces community heard. ‘We’re Still Here’, written, composed and arranged by former soldier Stu Mendelson, is set for release on Armistice Day, 11 November 2026, at 11:00am, with an ambition to reach Christmas No.1.
The collaboration includes veterans from The Muster Point, based in Stevenage, and Veterans in Crisis Sunderland. Rather than simply making those communities the subject of his songwriting, Mendelson wanted them involved in its creation. “I didn’t want to simply write a song about veterans. I wanted the Armed Forces community to be part of making it,” he explains. “The song is about reminding the nation that we’re still here, and that for many veterans and their families, the battles continue long after the fighting ends.”
Mendelson’s commitment comes from personal experience. A former Royal Engineer, he was seriously injured by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2009 and subsequently faced PTSD, mental health difficulties and addiction. After becoming clean and sober in 2023, he co-founded The Muster Point. His advocacy has also taken him to Parliament and into discussions with MPs and government departments about gaps in support for former service personnel.
Independently funded and organised by Mendelson, who also sings lead vocals, the single will generate money to help support the participating choirs and veterans’ organisations. Its campaign will develop across November and December, carrying a message that extends beyond chart success: veterans and their families remain part of the national community, and those facing difficult times should not have to do so alone.