Christmas FM, Ireland’s favourite charity radio station, returns to the airwaves at noon tomorrow (Saturday, November 29), playing round-the-clock festive hits! This year Age Action is the station’s charity partner.
All donations raised by Christmas FM and Age Action will fund 30,000 essential home repair and maintenance jobs for vulnerable older people across Ireland as part of Age Action’s innovative Care and Repair Programme*.
Christmas FM is set to spread lots of festive cheer and seasonal goodwill every single day in the run up to Christmas 2014! Tune in to hear a host of very familiar radio voices who will be volunteering their time to bring you round-the-clock Christmas tunes and festive updates until St. Stephen’s Day.
A number of high profile personalities will also be lending their support to Christmas FM and dropping into the station to share their very special Christmas memories and favourite holiday experiences!
Christmas FM is run as a not-for-profit operation with 100% of donations going directly to the charity. The station is funded by sponsorship which covers all the costs. More than 100 volunteers will participate across the on-air production and promotion of the station this year, each devoting between 20 and 50 hours of their time. Since 2008, Christmas FM has raised over €500,000 for charities including ISPCC Barnardos, Simon, Focus Ireland and Aware.
Christmas FM is sponsored this year by Centra, Ireland’s leading convenience retailer with over 465 stores in the heart of communities across Ireland. This is the second year in a row that Centra have kindly sponsored Christmas FM.
The station will once again broadcast live from the Ballsbridge Hotel in Dublin.
The main radio frequencies for Christmas FM are Dublin City and County 94.3FM, Dublin Commuter Belt 88.1FM, Limerick 105.5FM, Galway 89.5FM, Cork 106.7FM, South East 103.8FM, North Midlands 99.4FM, North East 101.6FM and North Wicklow is 99.5FM.
Christmas FM will also broadcast on UPC Channel 900.
Christmas FM is also available online here and you can follow the station on Facebook here.
Walter Hegarty, co-founder of Christmas FM, says: “This is Christmas FM’s seventh year on air and we are continually heartened by the generosity and support of our listeners and volunteers. Since we began broadcasting six years ago, we have raised in excess of €500,000 for charity, which is a wonderful achievement for everyone involved in the initiative. It proves that despite the difficulties Ireland is experiencing people still love some festive cheer and are happy to help out someone in need. We look forward to receiving texts and Christmas song requests from our loyal listeners. With every text sent, the proceeds of the €2 is donated to Age Action, so get listening and get texting. We’re really looking forward to being on air round-the-clock to get everyone in the festive mood.”
Eamon Timmins, Head of Advocacy and Communications, Age Action, says: “We are honoured to be chosen by Christmas FM as their charity partner. The money raised by the station’s listeners will enable us to carry out DIY jobs and visits for older people across Ireland. By doing so, we will enable them to continue living with dignity, independence and comfort in their own homes.”
Commenting on the partnership, Martin Kelleher, Managing Director of Centra said:“With 465 stores based in the heart of communities, Centra is delighted to once again support Christmas FM to help brighten up Christmas across the country. Christmas FM is a part of the nation’s Christmas tradition – it really is Christmas when the station goes live on the airwaves! We are delighted to partner with Christmas FM and as well as spreading the festive cheer, we are honoured to have the opportunity to support such a worthy cause as Age Action and help those in need during this seasonal period."
*Age Action’s Care and Repair Programme
As we grow older basic household tasks can become very difficult to manage. People who have been house-proud all of their lives find themselves unable to maintain their homes. Even something as simple as changing a light bulb can become a major problem for an older person who is not in a position to climb on a chair to change the bulb. Other household tasks such as trimming hedges, installing smoke alarms, changing locks, painting and moving furniture cause similar difficulties.
For those older people who are in the unfortunate position of not having family members calling, these tasks can become a source of great frustration. In addition, older people are often preyed upon by rogue tradesmen who intimidate them and rip them off when employed to do work in their homes. Isolation and loneliness are also major problems for older people. Ultimately these problems can make the difference between staying at home and moving to residential care.
The Care and Repair Programme was established by Age Action to carry out minor repairs for older and vulnerable people free of charge, to give them access to reliable tradesmen for larger jobs and to provide a befriending service. The vision of the programme is to enable older and vulnerable people to remain in their own homes, in their own communities, living as independently as possible, through the improvement of their housing conditions and their level of comfort, security and well-being.
How will your donation help Age Action’s Care and Repair Programme?
Every €5 donated will fund a new Age Action Care and Repair befriending visit
Every €10 donated will fund an Age Action Care and Repair DIY job such as:
- Christmas tree decorations
- Installing a smoke alarm
- Installing security locks and chains
- Changing plugs, fuses and light bulbs
Every €20 donated will recruit and train a new Age Action Care and Repair volunteer.
Every €50 donated will keep the Age Action Care and Repair van on the road for a week.
Every €1,000 donated will help launch a new Age Action Care and Repair group in an area not currently covered by the service.
