Christmas FM is back on the airwaves this festive season for its 15th consecutive year.
The volunteer led station is adored by fans across Ireland and abroad. It features festive tunes, competitions and seasonal chit chat - for instance, the presenters this morning led a charged discussion on the correct etiquette surrounding Christmas shopping.
Garvan Rigby, co-founder of the beloved radio station, explains that there has been a lot of change for the Christmas FM team in recent times, as they sadly had to forfeit their previous premises in Ballsbridge. However, the station has found a new home thanks to the team at Liffey Valley’s Clayton Hotel.
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Garvan told Dublin Live: “This morning was our first breakfast show of the year. It takes you a little while to get back into everything but we’ve gotten so much thanks from people who are happy for it to be back, it’s great.”
Christmas FM was born in 2008 after Garvan and the station’s other founders realised there was a gap in the market for a family friendly and festive radio station. Christmas FM is entirely ran by volunteers and gets financial support from several sponsors, including Coca Cola, An Post and Cadbury’s.
The generosity of listeners has helped countless charities over the years. Garvan explains that listeners can donate over text or online to help organisations such as Barnardos and Make a Wish Ireland get well needed funds.
He says: “Our big fundraising day takes place on December 20 but we encourage people to donate what they can now, the earlier the better. It’s just like Christmas shopping, the earlier the better!”
Christmas FM’s text line is another interactive way for people to spread festive joy. While only listeners in Ireland can directly send text messages to the station, listeners from abroad can use the website to post messages that may end up being read out on the airwaves.
Garvan says that the team have settled in to their new home in Clayton Hotel, which will serve as the station’s base for the next four weeks. He also reminds Christmas fanatics that while the station goes off air after December 26, the radio station offers streams on its website all year round.
You can donate to the Christmas FM campaign here.
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