Pop sensation Ed Sheeran is backing a charity single recorded by a Kent teenager.

The Brit Award-winner has urged his legion of fans to download Soldier, Soldier, which was penned by Canterbury songwriter Vida Ivatt and features the vocals of 14-year-old Rachel Ward.

Rachel, a huge Ed Sheeran fan and pupil at the Duke of York’s Royal Military School in Dover, met the pop star at a concert at the O2 and told him about the poignant song, which commemorates those who lost their lives in the First World War.

He has now put the song on his website for his fans to download, with all money raised going to Care for Casualties - The Rifles’ Charity and ABF, The Soldier’s Charity.

Rachel, whose dad is in the Army, said: “While it was amazing to meet Ed Sheeran and record Soldier, Soldier, it’s important to remember those who gave their lives and their families left without a husband, father or son.”

Soldier, Soldier was written by Mrs Ivatt and sent to the Duke of York’s Royal Military School’s music department in the hope they would play it.

But they went one better, with the song orchestrated and harmonised by the school’s director of military music, Major David Cresswell.

He said: “This is a brilliant opportunity to raise funds for two worthy military charities.
“We’re also hoping to get the song published into sheet music, so that other schools around the nation can enjoy the song themselves.”

The video for the song features pupils from the school visiting the battlefields of Flanders and taking part in the Service of Remembrance at Menin Gate.

Click here to download Soldier, Soldier for just 79p.

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