Christmas FM returns to Irish FM airwaves this Sunday officially starting the 2021 Christmas season!

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  • Christmas FM will be switching on Christmas in Ireland at midday on Sunday 28th November 2021

 

  • Christmas FM wants to “Give the Gift of Childhood” this year by raising over €250,000 which will go directly to Barnardos, a fitting charity partner considering it’s been such a difficult 18 months for vulnerable children living in disadvantaged communities

  

Fans of festive music will be delighted to hear that Christmas FM is returning to the airwaves this weekend! The popular radio station, seen by many as the official soundtrack to the festive season, will be switching Christmas on in Ireland at midday this Sunday, 28th November 2021.

 

Turn on Christmas FM to hear all of your festive music favourites, played by a host of familiar voices! The presenters, who are volunteering their time to bring a smile to everyone’s faces, will be broadcasting around the clock to keep the population in the festive spirit. So, whether it’s Mariah Carey you want to belt out or George Michael you’re dancing to, Christmas FM will bring the magic of Christmas to you and your loved ones!

 

Christmas FM is celebrating its 14th year on air this year and, since it began broadcasting, has raised over €2.7 million for a range of charities.

 

This year, Christmas FM wants to “Give the Gift of Childhood” by raising over €250,000 for  Barnardos, the Christmas FM charity partner for 2021. The funds will provide targeted and intensive support for over 5,000 children most in need – including nutritious food, support with education, and therapeutic services with their trained support teams – because childhood lasts a lifetime.

 

Christmas FM is this year being generously supported by premier FM sponsors An Post, Cadbury, and Coca-Cola – this ensures that all on-air fundraising and listener donations will go directly to Barnardos. Christmas FM will be broadcasting from the offices of askpaul.ie who have kindly donated the studio space this year. The station is run each year by a core management team, assisted by more than 100 volunteers who devote hundreds of hours of their time.

 

Garvan Rigby, co-founder of Christmas FM, says:

“We’re so excited to bring Christmas FM back on-air for our fourteenth year. To have reached this mark, it goes to show the incredible work done by our volunteers and we would like to thank each and every one of our listeners who have supported us and in turn, supported each of our chosen charities. We would like to thank the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland for granting us the license to broadcast and our premier FM sponsors for the year – Cadbury, Coca-Cola and An Post.  We would also like to thank askpaul.ie who have donated the studio space this year. We’re excited to officially open the Christmas season in Ireland and begin our fundraising for our charity partner Barnardos, so we can reach our aim of providing targeted and intensive support for over 5,000 children most in need in Ireland.”

 

Suzanne Connolly, CEO of Barnardos, says:

“We are so thrilled that Christmas FM has chosen Barnardos as its charity partner for 2021. With the help of Christmas FM listeners, we hope to raise money to ensure we can provide nutritious meals to children in our centres, that we can continue to support them in their educational, physical, and emotional development and that our specially trained teams can offer targeted therapeutic support to those who need it most. I would encourage everyone to listen in as we come together to make this the most meaningful Christmas yet!  Our gift of childhood partnership with Christmas FM, with your support, can make a difference.”

 

The main FM radio frequencies for Christmas FM are Bray 99.5, Cavan 99.4, Clare 105.2, Cork City, part county 106.7, Cork North, part county 87.7, Dublin City & County 105.2, Dundalk/Drogheda       104.2, Galway City, part County 87.9, Kildare North 88.1, Kilkenny City 104.3, Letterkenny        105.7, Limerick City 105.5, Longford 101.6, Sligo Town 95, South East 103.8, Tralee/Killarney 105, Waterford City 105.9, Wicklow Town 106.6FM.

 

Christmas FM will also broadcast on Virgin Media Channel 900. Listen online and via App – find out all the ways to listen at https://christmasfm.com/listenin/

 

Christmas FM also has a number of sister stations which are available globally, helping to sprinkle Christmas cheer right across the globe!

  • Christmas FM Classical plays ‘Classical and Carols’. The station brings you the best in Classical Christmas music mixed with a wide range of festive carols.
  • Christmas FM Classics plays ‘Classics and Crooners’. It’s a mix of classic, pre-1970s Christmas songs from Bing to Frank and Nat to Eartha.

 

Just log onto www.christmasfm.com or listen on the app, your smart speaker, or connected device at any time of the day or night!

 

  • Pictured at the launch are Barnardos Ambassador Amy Huberman and children Grace Dalton, Harry Kinahan and Maya Akano – Pic Andres Poveda

 

 

 

Christmas FM is available online at

www.christmasfm.com

You can follow the station on social at

@christmasfm

 

Christmas FM – Bringing You the Magic of Christmas

 

Six titles competing for the ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year Award’ 2021

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  • Books by Maureen Gaffney, David King, Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen, Séamas O’Reilly, Fintan O’Toole and Sally Rooney nominated for prestigious accolade

 

  • Winner will be revealed on one-hour television special on RTÉ One on Wednesday 8 December

 

Books by Maureen Gaffney, David King, Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen, Séamas O’Reilly, Fintan O’Toole and Sally Rooney have been nominated for the ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year 2021’.

 

The six titles competing for the accolade were category winners from the recent An Post Irish Book Awards and, given the sheer volume of votes each book has so far received from the public vote and the Academy, they are now finalists for the overall ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year 2021’.

 

The overall ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year 2021’ winner will be decided by an executive panel of judges, while the strength of the public vote will also be taken into consideration. Public voting is now open at www.anpostirishbookawards.ie/botyvote. All voters are in with a chance of winning €100 worth of National Book Tokens.

 

One of the six nominated titles will be revealed as the ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year 2021’ during a special one-hour television show hosted by Oliver Callan on RTÉ One on Wednesday 8 December at 10:35pm.

 

The six nominated titles are:

 

  • Your One Wild and Precious Life – Maureen Gaffney
  • A Hug For You – David King
  • Aisling and the City – Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen
  • Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? – Séamas O’Reilly
  • We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Ireland Since 1958 – Fintan O’Toole
  • Beautiful World, Where Are You? – Sally Rooney

 

Commenting on this year’s nominees, David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, said: “The variety of titles nominated for the overall 2021 An Post Irish Book of the Year Award demonstrates the great breadth and diversity of reading interests across Ireland in these monotone Covid times.”

 

Previous winners of the An Post Irish Book of the Year include Doireann Ni Ghriofa for A Ghost in the Throat, Vicky Phelan for Overcoming, Emilie Pine for Notes to Self, John Crowley, Donal Ó Drisceoil, Mike Murphy, and John Borgonovo for Atlas of the Irish Revolution, Mike McCormack for Solar Bones, Louise O’Neill for Asking For It, Mary Costello for Academy St, Donal Ryan for The Spinning Heart, Michael Harding for Staring at Lakes, and Belinda McKeon for Solace. The ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year’ public vote is sponsored by National Book Tokens.

 

 

Tune into RTÉ One at 10:35pm on Wednesday 8th December to find out who wins the

An Post Irish Book of the Year 2021.

 

First awarded in 2006, the An Post Irish Book Awards are Ireland’s biggest literary celebration, showcasing a diverse mix of exceptional writing from new and established writers across 20 categories- championing everything from novels and non-fiction to poetry, short stories and the Irish language. The 2021 winners were announced earlier this week:

 

Eason Novel of the Year

  • Beautiful World, Where Are You – Sally Rooney

 

Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year

  • 56 Days – Catherine Ryan Howard

 

Eason Sports Book of the Year in Association with Ireland AM

  • Fight Or Flight: My Life, My Choices – Keith Earls, with Tommy Conlon

 

Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year

  • Snowflake – Louise Nealon

 

Odgers Berndtson Non-Fiction Book of the Year

  • We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Ireland Since 1958 – Fintan O’Toole

 

Dubray Biography of the Year

  • Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? – Séamas O’Reilly

 

Bookselling Ireland Cookbook of the Year

  • Everyday Cook – Donal Skehan

 

National Book Tokens Popular Fiction Book of the Year

  • Aisling and the City – Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen

 

Bookstation Lifestyle Book of the Year

  • Décor Galore – Laura De Barra

 

TheJournal.ie Best Irish Published Book of the Year

  • The Coastal Atlas of Ireland – Val Cummins, Robert Devoy, Barry Brunt, Darius Bartlett, Sarah Kandrot

 

Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year (Junior)

  • A Hug for You – David King, illustrated by Rhiannon Archard

 

Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year (Senior)

  • The Summer I Robbed a Bank – David O’Doherty, illustrated by Chris Judge

 

Teen and Young Adult Book of the Year

  • The New Girl – Sinead Moriarty

 

RTÉ Audience Choice Award

  • Your One Wild And Precious Life – Maureen Gaffney

 

Library Association of Ireland Author of the Year

  • Marian Keyes

 

Writing.ie Short Story of the Year

  • Little Lives – Deirdre Sullivan

 

Listowel Writers’ Week Irish Poem of the Year

  • Longboat at Portaferry – Siobhan Campbell

 

The Love Leabhar Gaeilge Irish Language Book of the Year

  • Madame Lazare – Tadgh Mac Dhonnagain

 

The An Post Bookshop of the Year

  • Kennys Bookshop and Art Gallery, Galway

 

For further information, please log on to the An Post Irish Book Awards website or social media channels:

 

www.anpostirishbookawards.ie

 

Facebook: @AnPostIBAS

 

Instagram: @anpost_irishbookawards

 

Twitter: @AnPostIBAS

 

For a range of reading recommendations, check out www.anpost.com/readerswanted

 

 

 

 

Winners of the An Post Irish Book Awards 2021 announced

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  • Record number of votes from Irish public sees Maureen Gaffney, Séamas O’Reilly, Sally Rooney, Louise Nealon, Fintan O’Toole, Laura De Barra, Keith Earls and Tadgh Mac Dhonnagain among the winners

 

  • Kennys Bookshop and Art Gallery in Galway claims An Post Bookshop of the Year Award

 

 

  • Voting now open for ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year’ ahead of the announcement of the winner on RTÉ One on 8th December

 

Maureen Gaffney, Séamas O’Reilly, Keith Earls, Fintan O’Toole and Donal Skehan are among the winning authors at this year’s An Post Irish Book Awards, held virtually on www.rte.ie/culture this evening. Sinead Moriarty claimed victory with her debut Teen and Young Adult book, while the Eason Novel of the Year Award was won by Sally Rooney.

 

This year’s Awards attracted a record number of votes from the Irish public, and audiences around the world were able to watch the An Post Irish Book Awards ceremony as it happened.

 

First awarded in 2006, the An Post Irish Book Awards are Ireland’s biggest literary celebration, showcasing a diverse mix of exceptional writing from new and established writers across 20 categories- championing everything from novels and non-fiction to poetry, short stories and the Irish language.

 

Four new categories were also added to the initiative this year:

 

  • The ‘An Post Bookshop of the Year’ category is designed to acknowledge the significant role played by independent bookshops and local book store chain branches right across the country in helping their local communities to find the titles of their choice, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

  • The ‘Library Association of Ireland Author of the Year’ category is aimed at acknowledging an Irish author whose work has contributed significantly to the reader experience and enjoyment of Irish books during 2021.

 

  • The ‘Dubray Biography of the Year’ category celebrates the large number of wonderful biographies from Irish writers.

 

  • The ‘Bookstation Lifestyle Book of the Year’, a category that covers a range of interesting lifestyle subjects.

 

 

Below is the full list of winners for the ‘An Post Irish Book Awards 2021’:

 

Eason Novel of the Year

 

  • Beautiful World, Where Are You – Sally Rooney

 

Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year

 

  • 56 Days – Catherine Ryan Howard

 

Eason Sport Book of the Year in Association with Ireland AM

 

  • Fight Or Flight: My Life, My Choices – Keith Earls, with Tommy Conlon

 

Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year

 

  • Snowflake – Louise Nealon

 

Odgers Berndtson Non-Fiction Book of the Year

 

  • We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Ireland Since 1958 – Fintan O’Toole

 

Dubray Biography of the Year

 

  • Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? – Séamas O’Reilly

 

Bookselling Ireland Cookbook of the Year

 

  • Everyday Cook – Donal Skehan

 

National Book Tokens Popular Fiction Book of the Year

 

  • Aisling and the City – Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen

 

Bookstation Lifestyle Book of the Year

 

  • Décor Galore – Laura De Barra

 

TheJournal.ie Best Irish Published Book of the Year

 

  • The Coastal Atlas of Ireland – Val Cummins, Robert Devoy, Barry Brunt, Darius Bartlett, Sarah Kandrot

 

Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year (Junior)

 

  • A Hug for You – David King, illustrated by Rhiannon Archard

 

Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year (Senior)

 

  • The Summer I Robbed a Bank – David O’Doherty, illustrated by Chris Judge

 

Teen and Young Adult Book of the Year

 

  • The New Girl – Sinead Moriarty

 

RTÉ Audience Choice Award

 

  • Your One Wild And Precious Life – Maureen Gaffney

 

Library Association of Ireland Author of the Year

 

  • Marian Keyes

 

Writing.ie Short Story of the Year

 

  • Little Lives – Deirdre Sullivan

 

Listowel Writers’ Week Irish Poem of the Year

 

  • Longboat at Portaferry – Siobhan Campbell

 

The Love Leabhar Gaeilge Irish Language Book of the Year

 

  • Madame Lazare – Tadgh Mac Dhonnagain

 

The An Post Bookshop of the Year

 

  • Kennys Bookshop and Art Gallery, Galway

 

The An Post Irish Book Awards is also delighted to announce that Irish writer Sebastian Barry is the recipient of this year’s ‘Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award’.

 

Sebastian Barry joins a host of other distinguished recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award including Colm Tóibín, Thomas Kinsella, John McGahern, John Montague, J.P. Donleavy, Paul Durcan, John Banville, Seamus Heaney, Maeve Binchy, Edna O’Brien, Jennifer Johnston, William Trevor, and Eavan Boland, all of whom have previously received the ‘Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award.’

 

Commenting on this year’s winners, John Treacy, Chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards, said: “We really are so lucky to have such marvellous writers in this country. We have so many promising young writers, more women writers than ever, writers representing minority and marginalised Irish communities, and this will only grow in the years to come. I’d like to congratulate all of the winners and also the nominees in every category. It’s been another great year for Irish literature. See you in 2022.”

 

David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, said: “As we continue to face down the greatest global challenge of our lifetime, the power of books and reading is much more evident, bringing escape, solace and satisfaction. Trusted and appreciated, local bookshops provide the essential human link between author, publisher and reader. We are very pleased to support the new category of Bookshop of the Year in 2021 and we congratulate all the Kenny family on their success this year.”

 

Ann-Marie Power, RTÉ Group Head of Arts and Culture added: “RTÉ is delighted to partner once again with the An Post Irish Book Awards and to use the reach of rte.ie/culture to honour our writers in this year’s award ceremony. Reading is helping to sustain many people throughout the pandemic and it’s wonderful to see the variety of books and authors highlighted in this year’s awards ceremony.”

 

“Congratulations to all six authors nominated in the RTÉ Audience Choice Award, each book stood out in its singular voice, style, and originality. Special congratulations to our winner – Maureen Gaffney whose book “Your One Wild and Precious Life” is truly a book for our times and not to be missed. Her wisdom and sage advice shines through to provide a truly thoughtful experience and guide for each reader. We look forward to revealing the overall winner of the An Post Irish Book of the Year on RTÉ One on Wednesday 8th December.“

 

This year, over 187,500 votes were cast by the book-loving public to select the winners in each category. This is up 33% on 2020. Readers everywhere are now being invited to vote for their overall ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year’ at www.anpostirishbookawards.ie/vote. Voting opens on Wednesday 24 November.

 

The winner will be announced as part of a one-hour special on RTÉ One television on Wednesday 8th December exploring the six nominated books. All voters are also in with a chance of winning €100 worth of National Book Tokens.

 

 

Previous winners of the An Post Irish Book of the Year include Doireann Ni Ghriofa for A Ghost in the Throat, Vicky Phelan for Overcoming, Emilie Pine for Notes to Self, John Crowley, Donal Ó Drisceoil, Mike Murphy and John Borgonovo for Atlas of the Irish Revolution, Mike McCormack for Solar Bones, Louise O’Neill for Asking For It, Mary Costello for Academy St, Donal Ryan for The Spinning Heart, Michael Harding for Staring at Lakes, and Belinda McKeon for Solace.

 

For further information, please log on to the An Post Irish Book Awards website or social media channels:

 

www.anpostirishbookawards.ie

 

Facebook: @AnPostIBAS

 

Instagram: @anpost_irishbookawards

 

Twitter: @AnPostIBAS

 

For a range of reading recommendations, check out www.anpost.com/readerswanted

 

Companies could save 27% in workspace costs while also saving their employees up to 40% in transportation costs if they implement a hybrid working strategy – NoCo and OfficePal research

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NoCo unveils new online platform that enables employers to provide closer-to-home workspaces for their employees

 

Companies could save 27% in workspace costs while also saving their employees up to 40% in transportation costs if they implement a hybrid working strategy, according to a new case study carried out by NoCo, Ireland’s largest hybrid workspace network.

 

The case study examined how a typical city centre-based company of 139 employees, located in a prime Dublin office location, could create a more cost-efficient workplace model in response to the recent changes to the ways of working created by Covid.

 

Conducted by Office Pal, a financial outsourcing provider, on behalf of NoCo, the case study shows that by implementing a hybrid working model with a 60/40 split of time between working in the office and remote working in a hub close to the employees’ home, the business secured:

 

  • 40% reduction in city centre sq. ft requirement
  • 50% savings per employee realised when city centre leased office space is replaced by suburban flexible office space
  • 90% less time commitment required when comparing flexible workspace terms vs traditional leasing terms
  • Flexible workspace 25% more cost efficient versus supplying employee with a city centre car space
  • 260 hours less time spent commuting to the office for employees

 

An overall net saving of 27% in workspace costs can be seen in the case study where a city centre-based company reduces their city centre footprint, implements a hybrid working policy and operates a hub and spoke real estate model.

 

The hybrid working approach would also see a significant impact on a company’s and their employees’ carbon emissions with a potential 670kg reduction possible should they reduce the time spent commuting into the city by 2.5 hours daily through remote working.

 

The case study not only highlights the overall potential savings that can be made but also the increased flexibility that a company can secure by reducing their reliance on city centre leased space and supplementing this with a network of suburban based flexible workspaces, with a 90% reduction in the time commitment required in flexible workspace in comparison to a traditional lease.

 

In previous research carried out by NoCo and Trinity College, the switch to a remote workspace was shown to be a welcome change by employees to solely working from home, with 65% of respondents stating they had an inadequate home office space. Only 5% said they had a dedicated office space at home, while 77% stated privacy as a major issue when working from home.

 

To further facilitate employers making the switch to hybrid working, NoCo has launched a new online platform that enables employers to discover, subscribe and manage a network of closer to home workspaces for their employees. NoCo’s network now consists of over 350 locations nationwide through a number of strategic partnerships, while expansion into the UK is ongoing with 100 locations surrounding London now available.

 

Brian Moran, co-founder of NoCo, said: “The workplace of the future is evolving, for most employers this has always been a significant cost and we wanted to explore what the implications of the recent changes in work practices were for a company’s bottom line this by asking the team in OfficePal to carry out this case study. The results show that as the workspace becomes more fluid and flexible, so too can the costs associated with it.”

 

John Donnelly, CEO of Office Pal, said: “We were delighted to carry out this case study on behalf of NoCo. We can see that a combination of remote and hybrid working, along with the implementation of a hub and spoke real estate model shows significant potential for driving cost efficiencies throughout the business. While the study primarily focuses on the upfront costs associated with the workplace, it certainly highlights the potential for more savings to be made in other areas of the business through this model.”

 

Notes to Editor:

 

For more information on NoCo visit  www.nocoworkspace.com or check out NoCo on LinkedIn.

Calling ALL remote hubs, enterprise centres and co-working spaces in Cork…… 30 November is the deadline to register for preparatory programme for hubs that plan to introduce new Quality Standard accreditation in 2022

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  • A global first, the new Quality Standard comes into play in 2022 for 350+ co-working locations nationwide

 

  • Entitled ‘QHubs’, new accreditation is designed to raise overall quality, environmental and innovation performance of remote working locations nationwide

 

23 November, 2021

 

Tuesday, 30 November is the deadline for enterprise centres, co-working locations and flexible working spaces across Cork city and county to sign up for a preparatory programme that will support them with their sign-up to the new national Quality Standard accreditation in 2022.

 

The first of its kind in the world, the new Quality Standard will provide an accredited standard for the 350+ enterprise hub, co-working and remote working locations nationwide that play a pivotal role in supporting start-ups, SMEs, multinationals and remote workers across the public and private sectors.

 

All remote working hubs are encouraged to register for this important preparatory programme, delivered via Skillnet Ireland and the Small Firms Association, which will build on the existing knowledge and skillset of managers and staff to secure the QHubs status in 2022. The programme will be delivered through the ‘Lens of the Quality Framework’, reflecting key elements of the new Quality Standard, including:

 

  1. Hub ‘Classification’ Status
    1. Each hub will be classified based on their strategic purpose, size, capacity and occupancy as well as services and facilities available.

 

This ranges from Level 1, which is a local community hub that provides good quality and affordable workspaces, shared services and networking opportunities, to Level 4, which offers more regional, national and international collaborations, shared learning and peer to peer opportunities, and market access for client companies that want to scale globally.

 

    1. A dedicated mentor will work with each hub to identify their desired ambitions and goals i.e., how to add value to their facility for client companies via improved services, products, experiences and upgrading business model and processes used.

 

This offers an opportunity for locations to move up through the ranking system from Level 1 to 4, if that is their desired ambition. Each hub will work towards their targets and ambitions, and will have access to the support required to achieve this.

 

 

  1. Training and Development Opportunities
    1. Each hub will have access to a range of services and supports including networking, mentoring, training and learning programmes, independent advice and guidance, thought leadership and insights, best in class research, funding information and a host of Continuous Professional Development opportunities.

 

    1. As members range from dedicated community enterprise centres in rural towns and villages throughout Ireland to larger hybrid working spaces in urban locations nationwide, this offers further opportunities to share and collaborate on the latest news, policy developments, emerging trends and global best practice.

 

 

  1. International Collaborations
    1. Locations registered for the Quality Standard will also benefit from a range of international alliances and connections with leading European and international organisations and programmes. This will offer access to a host of best-in-class global practices via strategically aligned organisations.

 

  1. Annual Progress Update
    1. All hubs will be measured and their progress benchmarked annually. To facilitate this, a range of KPI’s will be set in a variety of important areas such as:

 

  • Quality, Environmental and Innovation performance
  • Community & Network
  • Customer Experience
  • Digitisation
  • Job Creation

 

This benchmark system will give client companies looking to work or partner with a local hub or enterprise centre an indication of how good a fit that particular hub is for their business and whether it meets their individual needs and requirements.

 

Community Enterprise Association Ireland (CEAI) National Hub Network Manager, Siobhán Finn said: “We strongly encourage all hubs, enterprise centres and co-working locations around the country to register for this preparatory programme by Tuesday November 30th. This educational programme is key for all Hub managers to ensure they are ready and able to achieve the QHubs accreditation in 2022. It’s also an opportunity for Hubs to understand the benefits the QHubs standard could bring to their centre.

 

Both Skillnet Ireland and the Small Firms Association were critical in the development of the preparatory programme and we at the Community Enterprise Association Ireland are very thankful for all their hard work. We’re looking forward to working with and supporting all participants of the programme on the QHubs Accreditation and how it will help them become even more ambitious, creative and collaborative in the future.”

 

  • How to Register: Any centre or hub interested in participating, should email CEAI National Hub Network Manager, Siobhán Finn on [email protected]

 

  • Deadline: Closing date is Tuesday 30th November

 

 

About the Community Enterprise Association Ireland:

Established over 20 years ago, the Community Enterprise Association Ireland, previously known as the National Association for Community Enterprise Centres (NACEC), is the country’s leading membership network of enterprise hubs, co-working locations and flexible working spaces. Government funded and supported by Enterprise Ireland, the organisation works to drive real innovation and entrepreneurship across local communities and regions.

 

The Community Enterprise Association Ireland achieves this by continually working to raise the overall quality, environmental and innovative performance of the sector, ensuring the national hub network continues to support the realisation of a sustainable and balanced regional development model for Ireland. As an established and respected voice of the sector, the organisation also confidently represents local enterprise centres / hubs at government level so that all new strategies, policies and funding programmes take the needs and ambition of each community into account.

 

The CEAI’s 2022-2025 strategy will be unveiled early next year and this is rooted in an extensive, independently-led consultative process which engaged with member and non-member centres and hubs; local, regional and national government; state agencies and the private sector. The strategy is aligned with Enterprise2025 as well as the government’s strategic priorities, policies and plans.

 

For more information visit communityenterprise.ie or follow CEAI on Twitter @CEAIreland and LinkedIn Community Enterprise Association Ireland

 

 

 

 

Cadbury, Coca-Cola and An Post sign up as main sponsors of Christmas FM for 2021

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Christmas FM aims to raise over €250,000 for Barnardos to Give the Gift of Childhood this Christmas for over 5,000 children living in poverty

Christmas FM, the popular radio station that is seen by many as the official soundtrack to the festive season, is delighted to announce that Cadbury, Coca-Cola and An Post have signed up for yet another year as Premier FM Sponsors of the radio station.

Christmas FM will be celebrating its 14th year on air this year when it launches on FM in November and since it began broadcasting, has raised over €2.7 million for a range of charities.

This year, Christmas FM will return to the FM airwaves on Sunday 28th November 2021 with the aim of raising over €250,000 for charity partner Barnardos to provide targeted and intensive support for over 5,000 children most in need – providing nutritious food, support with education, and therapeutic services with their trained support teams. Barnardos is a trauma informed organisation working directly with about 18,000 children and their families every year across its 45 projects.

 

As the running of the radio station is funded by sponsorship this ensures that all on-air fundraising and donations will go directly to Barnardos.

Garvan Rigby, co-founder of Christmas FM, said: 

“We’re really delighted to bring Christmas FM back on-air for our 14th year with a big helping hand from our premier FM sponsors – Cadbury, Coca-Cola and An Post. We would also like to thank askpaul.ie who have kindly donated the studio space this year. It’s a significant achievement to have reached this milestone and we want to thank each and every one of our listeners who have supported us and in turn, supported each of our chosen charities.”

“This would not be possible without our brilliant sponsors Cadbury, Coca-Cola and An Post who have come on board again this year as the 2021 Premier FM sponsors and askpaul.ie who have kindly donated the studio space this year. We’re excited to get back on FM and begin our fundraising, so we can help our charity partner Barnardos to Give the Gift of Childhood to over 5,000 children this Christmas. We would like to thank each of our sponsors once more this year for their invaluable support.”

Aisling Wilde, Frontline Activation Country Lead, Coca-Cola Ireland said:

“Christmas is about bringing people together and spending quality time with friends and family. This year, Coca-Cola will be spreading real Christmas magic across the island of Ireland, and we’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with Christmas FM to help us to do just that. We will be announcing our exciting Christmas plans soon, follow #HolidaysAreComing to learn more”.

 

Richard Miley, Marketing Communications Lead of An Post Mails & Parcels says:

“An Post is committed to empowering connections for people of all generations across the world this Christmas, so that they can stay connected and send love at home and abroad. Christmas FM is a vital part of Christmas in Ireland, as we replay old memories and make new ones. We’re delighted to work with the hardworking Christmas FM team again this year and to make life a little brighter for everyone while supporting Barnardos.” 

 

Spokesperson and Cadbury Brand Manager, Maighréad Lynch said:

“We are so excited to be sponsoring Christmas FM and our charity partner Barnardos this year. There is no greater time of year to celebrate the people of Ireland’s generous instinct and raise much needed funds for Barnardos, to help their vital work. Christmas is the season for generosity, and we are delighted to work Christmas FM to help bring people some festive magic and cheer while supporting a worthy cause.’’

Christmas FM will be broadcasting from the offices of askpaul.ie who have kindly donated the studio space this year.  Tune in on Sunday 28th November from 12pm to hear a host of familiar radio voices who will be volunteering their time to bring you round-the-clock Christmas tunes and festive updates, as well as sharing their special Christmas memories and favourite holiday experiences. The station will be broadcasting live on FM, on smart speakers, the Christmas FM app and online at www.christmasfm.com.

 

Find out all the ways to listen at https://christmasfm.com/listenin/

 

You can follow the station on social at

@christmasfm

 

Christmas FM – Bringing You the Magic of Christmas