Christmas FM surpasses €3.5M in 16-year charity journey
Pictured: (L-R) John Sansome of Community Foundation Ireland; Suzanne Connolly of Barnardos; Paul Shepherd of Christmas FM; Clare Diamond of Coimisiún na Meán; David Burns of Make-A-Wish Ireland; Dee Ahearn and Tim O’Dea of Barretstown (Image by Andres Poveda)
Christmas FM have announced that it raised €324,000 in 2023 for The Magic of Christmas appeal which raises funds for Barnardos, Barretstown, Make-A-Wish Ireland and a range of children’s charities making a difference in communities through Community Foundation Ireland.
This year’s donations are another big step towards Christmas FM’s goal to raise more than €1,000,000 between 2022–2024 for the Magic of Christmas appeal. The funds will be used to support 5,000 children in communities affected by traumatic life events such as poverty, abuse, neglect and bereavement, and to assist children whose lives are affected by serious childhood illness.
The total amount raised by the radio station is more than €3.5 million since it began broadcasting 16 years ago. Christmas FM is presented on air each year by up to 100 volunteers who devote hundreds of hours of their time assisted by a core management team.
Paul Shepherd, co-founder, Christmas FM, said: “We are incredibly grateful for our devoted listeners and fans who generously donated all throughout the festive season. We would also like to thank Coimisiún na Meán for granting us the licence to broadcast Christmas FM across Ireland, and our premier FM sponsors for 2023 – Cadbury, Coca-Cola, and An Post as well as Extra.ie, the official media partner of The Magic of Christmas appeal. We would also like to thank The Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley, who, once again, kindly donated their studio space to the station. Last but not least, a warm thank you to all the team and volunteers who make Christmas FM so special each year.”
Coimisiún na Meán grants Christmas FM a 30-day temporary sound broadcasting licence, which enables the station to broadcast on a range of frequencies throughout the country.
Clare Diamond, director of broadcasting, Coimisiún na Meán, said: “The service demonstrates once again the power and popularity of radio as a medium to bring people together and, through the generosity and contributions of its sponsors and listeners, to reflect the true spirit of Christmas.”
