New Christmas song to raise money for Peter McVerry Trust this festive period
‘This Time of Year’, released by Friends of Peter McVerry Trust, will raise money to support families living in homelessness this Christmas.
The new track, written by John Evans and performed by Alan Brereton, conjures seasonal imagery of carol singing and wreaths hanging on doors but urges us all to remember that no-one should be cold at this time of year.
All of the money raised through online sales of the song will be donated to Peter McVerry Trust, the national housing and homelessness charity.
John Evans, songwriter, explained the inspiration behind the song, “The song celebrates Christmas and that familiar Christmas feeling, but reminds us that we shouldn’t take it for granted. Unfortunately, ‘food on every table and presents by each tree’ will not be a reality for the hundreds of families in Ireland who don’t have a place to call home this Christmas.
“Partnering with Peter McVerry Trust to raise money for their family homeless services feels like the perfect fit for this song. We hope to raise enough money to make this a special Christmas for the families, especially the children, who are living in their services.”
Pat Doyle, CEO of Peter McVerry Trust, said, “Winter is the busiest time of the year for our charity and this year we will work with over 10,000 people, a 20% increase on last year. The release of ‘This Time of Year’ is a timely addition to our Christmas Fundraising Appeal as unfortunately the fundraising environment has been incredibly challenging since the onset of Covid-19 in Ireland.
“We hope that radio stations nationwide will back the song and members of the public will purchase and enjoy the track for many Christmases to come.”
‘This Time of Year’ is available to purchase and download on Bandcamp: PMVT.bandcamp.com. The public can support Peter McVerry Trust’s Christmas Fundraising Appeal by visiting www.pmvtrust.ie or calling 01 823 0776.
About John Evans, songwriter
A self-described “enthusiastic amateur songwriter”, John Evans was a two-time winner of RTE’s Poparama Song Contest in his teens. He stepped away from music to pursue a career in technology. During lockdown, he was diagnosed with cancer. The diagnosis spurred him to share his music publicly. In 2021 he was invited by his idol, Janis Ian, to participate in her “Better Times Will Come” project. Releasing “This Time Of Year” in aid of the Peter McVerry Trust fulfils a commitment he made to his family when he wrote the song on Christmas Eve 2019.
Alan Brereton, singer
For Alan Brereton, music goes back several generations. After a number of years as a professional musician and working in media production, he then returned to his academic roots with Kingston College as an Executive Coach. Alan first heard a demo of “This Time Of Year” during a conversation with John Evans and couldn’t resist a short return to the world of music to be involved in the recording to help the Peter McVerry Trust.
Dundara Television & Media, video production
Kildare based Dundara Television & Media, whose credits include Moving West and Guaranteed Irish for TG4 and the Game of Thrones final season premiere for NBC, have come on board to produce the visuals and video for the song. “We are delighted to be on board” says producer Enda Grace. “It only took one listen for us to become involved. It’s a beautiful song and for such an important cause”.
Peter McVerry Trust
Peter McVerry Trust is a national housing and homeless charity committed to reducing homelessness and the harm caused by substance misuse and social disadvantage. The charity provides low-threshold entry services, primarily to younger people and vulnerable adults with complex needs, and offers pathways out of homelessness based on the principles of the Housing First model.