A STROUD musician is dreaming of a Christmas number one after releasing a charity single in aid of The Big Issue Foundation.

With the help of Bath Road-based Skyhook Studios, David Ireland has written and recorded A Good Old Fashioned Christmas to raise money for the homeless charity.

The festive jingle was inspired by the Big Issue’s philosophy that anyone can make a difference and is available from both Amazon and iTunes.

Skyhook Studios, which opened last month, has pledged to donate 20 per cent of all sales and royalties from the track to the charity.

“I am very grateful to David Ireland and Skyhook Studios for using their talents to help generate funds for our work,” said The Big Issue Foundation’s chief executive Stephen Robertson.

“They are also helping to spread the Big Issue message and educate the wider public which is invaluable.”

A music video, produced and directed by Stroud-based Zebrafish media, to accompany the Christmas single can be viewed on Youtube and already has over 3,500 hits.

The video, which was filmed in Stroud, features shots of the town centre and Mr Ireland singing in the snow.

"The Big Issue works with some of the most disadvantaged people in the UK - nearly 100 people a week turn to them at a time of personal crisis,” said Mr Ireland.

“If we can't take a moment to think about that one fact at Christmas then the whole season means very little."