THE Skipton Choir is to release a festive song for peace this weekend.

'Shine Out', aired for the first time last weekend at the choir's charity Christmas concert at Christ Church, Skipton, will go live at 10am on Sunday (December 10) on YouTube to raise funds for the British Red Cross.

Shine Out was written by choir chairman Carol Squire with a score by musical director David Weale-Davey.

“The song is very much about peace and hope at Christmas and was incredibly well received when we performed it as our finale at the concert. Given everything that is happening around the world at the moment, we felt that by making it available to stream, we could present our song to a wider audience and raise money for an important cause," said Carol.

The concert at Christ Church raised £500 for Skipton Step into Action. The audience of 82 people enjoyed a first half mix of musical mashups, upbeat swing and iconic pop classics.

David said: “There was something for everyone – lots of well-known tracks as well as a couple of more considered pieces, including Shine Out. The second half gave everyone a chance to join in and sing along to a selection of Christmas favourites and evergreens.”

Find Shine Out on YouTube (https://youtu.be/NqhMB-PPjyE) with a link to JustGiving (https://www.justgiving.com/page/skiptonsongforpeace) where people can make a donation to the British Red Cross. People can also donate through the choir’s Facebook page, The Skipton Choir 'Skipton Rocks On'.