A two-day charity event saw Nova turn over its airwaves recently to raise €74,553 to fight homelessness in Dublin. It is the fourth year Nova has asked for donations from members of the public and local businesses. This year, Applegreen and Bord Gais Energy joined the initiative to help people who are homeless or are at risk of losing their homes.
Over the two days, listeners to Nova were asked to phone the radio station, where their calls were answered by Focus Ireland staff, assisted by Nova’s corporate partners Bord Gáis Energy. Last year Focus Ireland supported over 700 households to move out of homelessness. Government figures for 2017 show a 17 per cent increase in family homelessness.
There was also a 23 per cent rise in the number of children homeless in the same period.
The Radiothon also involved an on-street collection in Dublin city centre, with more than 30 volunteers from BGE taking part and answering phones in Nova’s call centre. A host of celebrities offered their support, including, Simon Delaney, chef Derry Clarke, snooker player Ken Doherty, Brent Pope, comedian Ed Byrne and TV3 presenter Glenda Gilson.
Nova received support from a number of other media companies, including TV3, Eirsport, Irish Daily Mail, PML Group, Wide Eye Media, Packed.House, Sunday Business Post, Ad Tower, Exterion Media, PromoBikes.ie and Marketing.ie. Nova broadcasts to Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow and recorded 147,000 weekly listeners in the most recent JNLR.
Pictured are Colm Hayes, Radio Nova, Simon Delaney, brand ambassador, Rosemary Begley, Applegreen, Sinead Price, Focus Ireland, Michael O’Keeffe, BAI and Christine Campbell, BGE
