CHRISTMAS FM HAS raised €412,021 for Barretstown, the festive radio station’s chosen charity for 2019.

Barretstown is a charity which offers free camps and programmes for children who have cancer or other serious illnesses and their families.

The original goal was to raise funds of €250,000 which would have allowed Barretstown to fund over 850 days of programmes for seriously ill children.

However Christmas FM said due to “tremendous support”, it has surpassed targets and can now fund over 1,400 days at Barretstown Castle in Co Kildare.

“Through these 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 station said today.

“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 to help more children to experience the magic of Barretstown each year.”

Dee Ahearn, CEO of Barretstown, said the charity is “overwhelmed by the generosity and support shown to Barretstown by individuals, businesses and communities across the country over the course of the campaign”.

I would like to thank the team in Christmas FM for choosing us to be part of this very special campaign. Special thanks also to the Christmas FM volunteers who worked tirelessly to surpass our target and I’d like to acknowledge our Barretstown campers and families who shared their stories so eloquently throughout the whole campaign.

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.

The station is run each year by the team and more than 100 volunteers on-air, with costs covered by sponsors. The fundraising figure for 2019 brings to over €2.25 million the total amount of funds the radio station has raised for a range of charities since its inception in 2008.