Christmas FM raised €412,021 for the Barretstown charity for seriously ill children. The station, which was sponsored by Cadbury, Coca-Cola and An Post, had a goal of €250,000 to allow Barretstown to ‘press play’ on over 850 days of life-changing programmes. However, they can now ‘press play’ on over 1,400 days at Barretstown Castle in Co Kildare.
Through specially-designed camps and programmes, Barretstown brings back the fun of childhood by helping children affected by serious illness to ‘press play’ on childhood again. The services provided to all of the children and families who attend Barretstown are entirely free of charge, so donations and fundraising efforts are vital for the charity.
The 2019 fundraising figure brings to over €2.25 million the total amount of funds Christmas FM has raised for various charities since it took to the airwaves in 2008. The costs of running the station are covered by sponsors, ensuring that all donations go directly to charity. The station is run each year by the team and more than 100 volunteers on-air.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) grants Christmas FM a 30-day temporary sound broadcasting license, which enables the station to broadcast on a range of frequencies throughout the country. Christmas FM is broadcast from the Ballsbridge Hotel in Dublin 4, which provides the station with the necessary facilities for free.
