Greatest Hits Radio

North Derbyshire welcomes new children’s charity

A recent radio station acquisition has seen Chesterfield and North Derbyshire inherit a brand-new children’s charity – Cash for Kids – which will help disadvantaged children across the town and will feature its biggest fundraising campaigns on Greatest Hits Radio.

Cash for Kids are a grant giving charity and provide grants for organisations including NHS and social services, refuges, food banks, schools, sports clubs, community groups and individual families.

Whilst the pandemic has had a huge impact on local charities, the team of two at Cash for Kids launched an Emergency Appeal last Spring to help children living in poverty get access to food and basic essentials during the first lockdown, distributing over £80,000 to food banks, schools, refuge’s and other local charities.

In December, despite challenges with lockdown, the charity managed to facilitate its annual Mission Christmas appeal, which collected and distributed toys to over 19,000 children across the Sheffield City Region. The campaign was sponsored by B&M at Ravenside Retail Park and Dronfield Auto.

The pandemic resulted in Cash for Kids having to suspend its traditional granting for projects outside of the Emergency Covid-19 Appeal but the charity has just announced it is now taking applications again via the Greatest Hits Radio website.

Allan Ogle, who has managed the charity for six years and lives in Old Whittington, said: “As a resident of Chesterfield, to announce Cash for Kids becoming an integral part of Greatest Hits Radio is a huge honour for me.

“Last year we provided over £3,500 for children get support with food and basic essentials from our Emergency Appeal and over 2,000 children across Chesterfield were also supported from our Mission Christmas campaign. With the fundraising support from listeners of Greatest Hits Radio, local schools, businesses and volunteers across the Town we can really help enrich the lives of children and families who need it most.”

Alongside its biggest fundraising campaigns Cash for Kids Day, which takes place this May, and Mission Christmas, which launches in November, the charity are seeking the fundraising support of local schools and businesses to help fund grant rounds for multiple projects throughout the year.

Funds have previously been provided to help families, charities and organisations with mental health, autism, special needs, sensory rooms, kit, equipment, IT, beds, school uniform and other basic essentials amongst a long list of other causes the charity supports.

The charity also has vacancies on its Local Executive Board and would like to have a representative from a Chesterfield business. To enquire about this or details on how to support the charity, email allan.ogle@bauermedia.co.uk

Greatest Hits Radio North Derbyshrie supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

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Chesterfield Champions get into the festive spirit

A number of Chesterfield Champions have been getting into the Christmas spirit this season, whether it’s been through charitable donations, donning those festive jumpers or embellishing their businesses with dazzling decorations..

We’ve been so impressed to see the community spirit well and truly alive here in Chesterfield, despite the challenges posed by covid-19. So we’re showcasing some of our favourite festive stories and photos from our fabulous local businesses!

Wishing all our champions, businesses and residents a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Christmas Jumper Day 2020

A number of Chesterfield Champions sent us photos of their teams wearing some truly excellent knitwear on Christmas Jumper Day, which took place on Friday, 11th December in aid of Save the Children. Well done to all those who took part and donated!

Mortgage 1st

The team at Mortgage 1st raised a fabulous £140 for Save The Children by sporting their Christmas jumpers in the office and eating Christmas jumper day cakes!

Salute

Natalia and Daniela from Salute sent us this adorable photo of their little helper getting cosy in one of their jumpers… You can find out more about their Christmas hampers here.

 

Rosewood Wealth Management

Donna, Shannan and Abigail have at Rosewood have certainly been getting into the festive spirit this year! The team have been collecting toys for the Nightingale Ward at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, along with decorating the outside of their business with a fabulous reindeer model… Not forgetting those all-important Christmas jumpers!

Banner Jones Solicitors

We love this collage of Christmas jumpers put together by Banner Jones solicitors! A huge well done to all who got involved…

Charity Appeals and Donations

Many of our Champions have worked hard to ensure those who are less fortunate are able to enjoy Christmas this year. Whether it is collecting toys to help Santa deliver presents to Chesterfield children, or donating to local foodbanks so families are able to enjoy a proper Christmas dinner, Chesterfield’s businesses have shown true community spirit. Here’s a few examples:

Greatest Hits Radio’s toy appeal and festive jingle campaign

The team at Greatest Hits Radio North Derbyshire have been incredibly busy this year. Back in November they launched their Mission Christmas Toy appeal, which has provided gifts for underprivileged children across the region. But they certainly weren’t finished there! Now, the team have launched the Christmas Eve Jingle campaign to raise festive spirits, by asking people to gather on their doorsteps to ring a bell at 6pm for two minutes on Christmas Eve. Find out more here.

Chesterfield FC toy appeal

Chesterfield FC’s Community Trust have been keen to support local residents ever since they took over the ownership of the football club back in the summer. This Christmas has been no exception, with the Spireites collecting hundreds of toys for local children.

Bridge Help Foodbank Appeal

Chesterfield Champions and other local businesses have rallied around the Bridge Help appeal to support Chesterfield Foodbank this Christmas. The company matched all donations of luxury items with essential food, including cereal, long life milk and tinned goods.

Specsavers foodbank donation

The team at Specsavers Chesterfield generously donated supplies to Chesterfield Food Hut this Christmas, along with paying for all of the charity’s costs until February 2021. The money will be put towards covering costs and providing 250 hot meals per week to the most vulnerable in our area.

Central Technology and BRM Solicitors gift Smart TV’s and Netflix licenses to Ashgate Hospicecare

Chesterfield’s Central Technology and BRM Solicitors have generously gifted Ashgate Hospicecare a total of three smart TV’s to help the charity to help upgrade it’s patient rooms and enable patients to view films and TV shows on Netflix.

 

Spreading festive cheer in Chesterfield 

A number of Chesterfield Champions have come up with new and creative ways of bringing people across the town together this year, and there’s still time for you to get involved with some of them!

Spire Radio Christmas Carol singalong

With many Christmas Carol Concerts cancelled this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Middlecroft Community Group have teamed up with Spire Radio to hold a one-off special on Spire Radio on Friday 18th December from 6pm.

Make sure you join the on-air team for some festive fun!

Team spire

Crooked Spire festival of lights

With their regular Christmas schedule disrupted due to the pandemic, the team behind Chesterfield’s most famous landmark have still managed to put together a range of festive features and events this Christmas.

Carol singing will be taking place outside the Church from 1.00pm for 20 minutes each day from the 17th until the 24th December, along with a dazzling display of light being projected onto the spire from the 16th December until the 31st December.

Festive Brass

Dazzling Decorations on Chesterfield’s high-street

Make sure you head into Chesterfield Town Centre to take a look at the wonderful decorations in our local independent shops. And while you’re at it, you could enter the S40 Local Advent Town competition by spotting the numbers of the advent calendar in the windows of some stores!

Here are some of our favourites:

Adorn Jewellers

Fred’s Haberdashery

Shop Indie

Don’t forget you can find out more about local festive events, activities, gift ideas and shopping times over on our Christmas In Chesterfield pages.

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Greatest Hits Radio launches Christmas Eve Jingle to spread Christmas cheer

Greatest Hits Radio is encouraging locals across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire to join the Christmas Eve Jingle and gather on their doorsteps to ring a bell at 6pm for two minutes on Christmas Eve.

Taking inspiration from the ‘Clap for Carers’ initiative that took the UK by storm during lockdown, families and communities are invited to take part and help create a spark of magic and cheer after what has been an incredibly tough year for all.

The idea was put together by a group of mums in Harrogate and the local campaign has been quickly gathering support across the UK and worldwide, with a Facebook group attracting close to 300,000 members.

Now backed by Greatest Hits Radio North Derbyshire and its network of sister stations across the UK, the campaign welcomes the reach of millions more people who can feel inspired and excited to help spread some much-needed cheer this Christmas.

What’s more, Greatest Hits Radio has made thousands of jingle bells available for purchase for anyone looking to take part. Priced at just £5 and available on the Greatest Hits Radio website, all profits from the bells will go towards their official charity Cash for Kids, whose mission is to respond to the needs of disadvantaged children and young people in our communities.

The sale of the bells will help raise a potential £30,000 for children living in poverty, and net proceeds from any bells purchased will go directly to the charity’s Mission Christmas campaign, which gifts young people Christmas presents who may otherwise go without.

Speaking about the event, Greatest Hits Radio presenter Steve Priestley said “Communities are at the core of Greatest Hits Radio and we’re privileged to have the ability and reach to take what started as local campaign and share it widely to get the attention it deserves. Spreading festive cheer across the country, we can’t wait for listeners in North Derbyshire to join us out on our doorsteps this Christmas Eve.”

Christmas Eve Jingle organiser Mary Beggs-Reid said “We are so thrilled to have the support of Greatest Hits Radio in helping reach as many people as possible for the Christmas Eve Jingle. We can’t wait to bring hope, magic and the spirit of Christmas to communities across the country.”

Greatest Hits Radio launched in North Derbyshire in September this year, providing a playlist of the biggest songs of the 70s, 80s and 90s, including music from iconic artists such as Blondie, Queen, George Michael, Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Elton John and Whitney Houston.

Listen in on FM, DAB digital radio, online, on your mobile device or smart speaker to hear well-known presenters including Simon Mayo, Mark Goodier, Janice Long, Pat Sharp, Paul Gambaccini and many more, along with a selection of seasonal hits this Christmas.

To find out more about the Worldwide Christmas Jingle and download a poster to show that you’re taking part, head to the Greatest Hits Radio website.

You can find out more about the wide range of Christmas activities taking place in Chesterfield here

Greatest Hits Radio supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Greatest Hits Radio North Derbyshire launches Mission Christmas appeal

Greatest Hits Radio North Derbyshire is asking local residents to help “make Christmas magical” this year for underprivileged children across the region, by donating gifts and funds to their ‘Cash for Kids’ charity appeal.

The radio station want to make this year’s appeal bigger than ever, with many young people and families suffering hardship caused by the covid-19 pandemic.

In 2019 £978,801 of gifts and cash were distributed to more than 31,875 underprivileged children across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire; Greatest Hits say it is their mission to ensure no child wakes up without a present under their tree this year.

Greatest Hits Radio Account Manager, Alison Ollerenshaw said: “Mission Christmas will be more important than ever this year. COVID-19 is directly affecting unemployment levels and household incomes, pushing many more families into poverty this winter. Christmas could be a luxury that they simply can’t afford, but our mission is still to ensure that every child receives a gift from Santa on Christmas Day.”

Donations are distributed to children who have been identified by social services, head teachers and other charitable organisations.

In light of COVID-19 some changes have had to be made this year, with the need for social distancing to ensure that the team, volunteers, beneficiaries and donors are kept safe.

In previous years businesses have been asked to collect for the appeal, but to deliver the appeal safely this year the number of public-facing gift drop-off points has to be limited. A map of all the local businesses involved will be available online from 16th November.

There are also other ways for you to support the appeal this year. A cash donation would enable the charity to buy gifts where donations from the public fall short or where specialist items are needed for disabled children.  Local people and businesses are also encouraged to organise a raffle or a challenge.

Companies with a showroom, a shop window, or a wall display are being asked to feature an interactive poster featuring a QR code that people can scan with their smartphone to donate.

Whilst the number of public facing drop-off points are being restricted, workplaces can still collect gifts internally and deliver them to Mission HQ as early as possible and ideally by Friday 11th December to give the reduced team more time to sort and distribute them.

To find out how you can get involved, contact Alison via email: Alison.ollerenshaw@bauermedia.co.uk or by calling 07867 361 855. You can also contact Audra via email: Audra.sloan@bauermedia.co.uk or by calling 07812 661 675.

Greatest Hits Radio supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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