Radio NOVA’s Help Our Homeless Radiothon has raised an incredible €55,100. The station raised the money in a two-day pledge drive that saw listeners donate generously to help fight homelessness in the Greater Dublin area.
It’s the third year that NOVA has run its Homeless Radiothon, which saw an abundance of famous faces from across the worlds of entertainment, music, sport and politics provide their support live on-air. All funds were donated to Peter McVerry Trust.
Donations streamed into the station over the two days, with funds coming from people young and old, businesses, local traders, bus drivers, nurses, and taxi drivers amongst others. Children called to donate their pocket money, schools donated whip arounds and people formerly homeless called in to support the Radiothon.
Peter McVerry CEO Pat Doyle said, “Peter McVerry Trust would like to thank everyone at Radio NOVA, all of their listeners who donated and the volunteers that manned the phone lines for this brilliant two day event. The funds raised by Nova will go a long way in helping Peter McVerry Trust provide a key to a home for people currently experiencing homelessness.”
Radio NOVA CEO, Kevin Branigan, said, “We’re so gratified that our listeners came forward in such large numbers to help us raise this excellent amount. The €55,100 raised is far beyond our expectations and will go a long way in providing emergency accommodation, meals and shelter for those experiencing homelessness in our city. Our listeners have not been found wanting and have made a real difference”.
The Help Our Homeless Radiothon was supported by a host of well-known faces and voices, all of whom played their part in the success of the initiative including Republic of Ireland football legend Robbie Keane, Film Director Jim Sheridan, RTE Newsreader Aengus Mac Grianna, Blizzards frontman Bressie, Elbow, Kodaline, The Riptide Movement, The Boomtown Rats, Hamsandwich, Jack L, Two Door Cinema Club, The Hot Sprockets, Gavin Glass, Keywest, Brent Pope, Comedians Tommy Tiernan, Neil Delamere, Aisling Bea and Fred Cooke, TV3 Presenters Glenda Gilson, and Cassie Stokes, Red Rock Stars, The Rubberbandits, Rosanna Davidson, Lorraine Keane, James Kavanagh, Phelim Drew and of course Fr Peter McVerry himself.
The Radiothon was presented by NOVA presenters, Marty Miller, Conor Irwin, Greg Gaughran, Pat Courtenay, Peter Devlin, Johnny Bowe and Lisa Gernon and was a listener-focussed, fast-moving event, with donations received from far and wide including Australia, China, and the USA.
While the Radiothon phone lines are now be closed, people can still donate online via the station’s donation website – www.homelessradiothon.ie
NOVA broadcasts to Dublin, Kildare, Meath & Wicklow on FM and nationally in its smartphone and on the Irish Radio Player.
