FRESH from the triumphant release of their debut album, Reading’s Third Lung could be forgiven for wanting a quiet Christmas.
Instead, they’ve released a festive single in an effort to support those in need, with a fundraising page for a local charity.
The band is raising funds for Launchpad, Reading’s leading charity tackling homelessness, after having worked with the charity previously.
Guitarist Cams Jurasek said: “An EP from last year was raising money for Launchpad, and in October we performed at their Big Sleep Out.
“During the summer we decided we’d release a Christmas song, and decided we’d do it all in aid of them.”Lead vocalist Tom Farrelly said: “We got to meet a couple of the patrons at The Big Sleep Out, too– Matt Allwright, who’s a real sweetheart, was presenting along with Danyl Johnson.
“We were really taken with their dedication and passion, and came away thinking about how we could help them as much as we could.
“We had a Christmas song that we never thought we were going to release, but it was a really nice single, and so we decided to dedicate it to them.”
The Christmas Song (Stranger to the Cold) was the result, and while it touches on serious themes, it also embraces the usual trappings of the Christmas single.
“We started writing it around Christmas last year,” says Ms Jurasek, “I think we were watching the Hootenanny, all that kind of stuff,
“But we tend to write in our downtime anyway, and this year with the build-up to the album and the launch, it feels like it’s been plan after plan.
“So that bit between Christmas and New Year– I’m looking forward to having those 10 days in the middle.
“It’s a bit like the Bermuda Triangle, anything can happen.”
She said also that the band was grateful to the producers and mixers who gave their time to help with the single.
“We’ve got a really great team– Colin from Right Track, our producer Michael who agreed to mix, and Dean Nelson who runs Generation Studios, who offered his time and experience.
Mr Farrelly said: “It really wasn’t planned out, so it was last minute, but a lot of people offered up their time to get it done.”
As well as the single, the band is releasing a ‘blooper’ video, which will see them dressed in Christmas attire.
“It’s a really silly, camp video, and we’ll be dressed up,
Kirsti Wilson, head of marketing and fundraising at Launchpad Reading, said: “At The Big Sleep Out, where people sleep outside to get a taste of what homelessness is actually like.
“We asked if they would come and play, and they were amazing– then they contacted us about releasing the single, and we were very excited.
“They told us they were blown away by the team, what we did, so they said they wanted to do what they could.”
She said that having support from the band was “phenomenal, as numbers of people who are coming to get our help are going up.
“The profile is changing as well– people with mortgages, people who are working, families, so a lot of what we’re doing is about telling people we’re here.
“We try to prevent homelessness in the first place; the sooner someone can get help and support and stop it from becoming a crisis, the better.”
As Christmas approaches, temperatures continue to drop below freezing, which is especially dangerous if sleeping out.
“The severe emergency weather protocol has kicked in, so local authorities are providing support taking homeless people off the streets,
“We’re a partner, so we’re collecting donations and toiletries, and putting people in warm accommodation and providing them with hot meals.”
The charity currently holds drop-ins, too; from 10am-2pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, people can “just turn up, as it’s free,
“If you have problems paying bills, issues with landlords, come and talk to our team, and we’ll hopefully be able to help.”
If people want to support the charity’s work, Ms Wilson says the best way is to make a donation via its website.
“Funding we receive, no matter how small, allows us to be agile and to respond to what people need at the time.
“There’s also a kind of shopping list on the website which shows you how your donations can help: providing mobile phone access so that they can contact us and their family, or accommodation.”
“You can also support us throughout the year– homelessness isn’t just for Christmas.”
The Christmas Song (Stranger to the Cold) is available to stream now.
The fundraising page in aid of Launchpad can be found via: www.justgiving.com
More information about Launchpad and ways to donate can be found via: launchpadreading.org.uk
