Christmas FM, the beloved radio station that raises funds for charity and Switches Christmas On across Ireland every year, will be running its annual Donation Day tomorrow to raise funds for The Magic of Christmas Appeal, a not-for-profit fundraising initiative that raises funds for Barnardos, Barretstown, Make-A-Wish Ireland and a range of children’s charities across Ireland making a difference in local communities through Community Foundation Ireland.
On Thursday, 19th December, join Christmas FM for a 12 hour long festive radiothon from 7am – 7pm, jam packed with Christmas hits and seasonal goodwill! This Donation Day, Christmas FM is asking listeners to help Give the Gift of Childhood to children who need it most, because every child deserves Magic at Christmas. Donations can be made through www.christmasfm.com or by calling 0818 911 977
The Magic of Christmas was launched in 2022, with the aim of raising €1,000,000 over a three-year period for the charities. The Magic of Christmas fundraising appeal raised almost €325,000 last year for the charities, with donations raised between 2022 and 2023 totalling €618,706 overall.
Here’s an example of what a listener’s donation can do:
- €50 will provide one hour of vital medical care in the ‘Med Shed’ for a child who is sick at Barretstown
- €100 could help a child be warm again by providing a ‘Winter Warmer’ pack with a waterproof coat, hat, gloves and scarf
- €200 can help towards the granting of a wish for a seriously-ill child in your community, to make a lasting difference to their quality of life and well-being.
Paul Shepherd, Co-Founder of Christmas FM, says: “This year marks our 17th year Switching Christmas On across Ireland. Since our launch in 2008, we’ve raised over €3.5 million for various charities nationwide – which is a huge milestone for us. With the incredible support of our listeners and fans, we’re committed to continuing this tradition of giving. While we’ve been fundraising throughout the festive season and will carry on while we’re on FM, Donation Day is especially important. It’s our chance to maximise support for The Magic of Christmas Appeal and we’re calling on everyone to tune in, donate, and join us in making a difference!”
Commenting on Donation Day, the charity partners jointly said: “We are delighted to be working with The Magic of Christmas Appeal for the third consecutive year. Last year’s incredible support made a profound difference to children across Ireland, and we’re very much looking forward to Donation Day on Thursday, 19th December. We hope Christmas FM listeners and fans will join us by donating whatever they can to help transform the lives of children in communities across Ireland. With the generosity of listeners, we can Give the Gift of Childhood to those who need it most, because every child really does deserve magic at Christmas.”
Christmas FM is presented on air each year by a team of volunteers who devote hundreds of hours of their time assisted by a core management team. Meanwhile, the costs of running the station are covered by various sponsors, ensuring listener donations go directly to the fundraising initiative. This year the station’s premier FM sponsors are Coca Cola, An Post and Cadbury.
Christmas FM is broadcasting from The Clayton Hotel, Liffey Valley who have kindly donated their studio space again this year.