Cambridge songwriter aims for vegan Christmas number one

A Cambridge songwriter is releasing a vegan Christmas single that he hopes will put “peace on your plate” in the place of roast turkey.

The song will be available to download and stream from Friday, December 13.

Peace On Your Plate was written by vegan musicians Gavin Chappell Bates, from Cambridge, and Giles Bryant, who hope it will become the UK’s first vegan Christmas number one. Currently the bookmakers have given them odds of 25-1; the same as Sam Smith and better odds than Elton John, Extinction Rebellion and Abba.

On why he wrote the song, Gavin said: “I couldn’t stop thinking about what it would feel like to wake up on Christmas day, turn on the radio and to hear the song that is top of the charts being about peace to all creatures on earth.”

‘Peace On Your Plate’ was recorded and mastered at the famous Abbey Road Studios by Paul Pritchard and Christian Wright, and has been mixed by Jay Woolcott (Global Academy). The track features a host of vegan musicians and singers from across the planet, including John Robb (The Membranes), Queen V, Ian Haywood, Vanity Ladner (Muse to Sirens) and Melody Causton.

A live band of musicians have been touring the song around the country, including a headline slot at Vegfest. Outstanding dates will see them travelling to Portsmouth, Bristol and Leeds.

It has been a long time since an actual Christmas song was number one at Christmas time – the revamped Band Aid 20 in 2004. Last year saw a song about sausage rolls crowned as Christmas number 1. Gavin believes this year it’s time for the plants and peace.

All proceeds from sales of the song will support two charities. The charities are Viva!, Europe’s largest vegan campaigning charity, and Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary.