Charity fundraiser backed by host of Bauer stars including Ronan Keating, Harriet Scott, Ken Bruce, Brooke Vincent and Dave Berry

 Record levels of need for families across UK as charity receives applications for gifts for over 280,000 children 

The largest Christmas gift appeal in the UK, Mission Christmas, an annual campaign run by charity Cash for Kids, has officially launched today [Monday 27th November] backed by a number of famous faces including Greatest Hits Radio’s Ken Bruce and Magic Breakfast’s Ronan Keating and Harriet Scott.

The cost-of-living crisis continues to impact so many families across the UK this year, and for them Christmas is a luxury they just can’t afford. As a result, the charity is expecting record levels of requests for help this year and has already received applications for more than 280,000 children – around 4% more than the total number they helped during the whole of last year’s appeal.

Mission Christmas is supported by Bauer radio stations including Hits Radio, Greatest Hits Radio, Magic Radio and Absolute Radio, whose listeners get behind it every year. In 2022 Mission Christmas collected over £14.2 million in gifts and cash donations, which were used to make sure that 270,728 children and young people had presents to open on Christmas Day.

Ronan Keating said: ‘Mission Christmas does such incredible work every year and, with the cost of living still impacting on so many, I know that the team want to help out Santa this year more than ever. If you can help in any way, either by donating a gift or cash, you could make a world of difference to a child somewhere in the UK this Christmas Day.’

Those wanting to donate can:

·        Take their gifts to drop-off points near them – simply head to cashforkids.org.uk/mission and enter your postcode to find your closest drop-off point.

·       Supporters can also buy a gift online at cashforkids.org.uk/mission from a specific gift list – there’s an urgent need for gifts for teens and babies which you’ll see reflected in this list.

·       Alternatively, you can text ‘MISSION’ to 70910 to donate £10 and the Cash for Kids team will donate a gift on your behalf (see cashforkids.org.uk/textdonate for text terms and conditions)

Cash for Kids works with thousands of grass-root organisations across the UK who support disadvantaged children (0 – 18 years). Throughout the Mission Christmas campaign, these organisations along with social workers, head teachers and the emergency services nominate families in crisis to be supported by the appeal, highlighting their age, gender and any special needs.