Text Santa will return for its ird year is Christmas 0

Text Santa will return for its third year this Christmas

Text Santa, ITV's annual charity fundraiser, will return in December 2013 to raise money and awareness for another six UK based charities. The appeal has raised nearly £10 million for charities since it started in 2011.

Hosts Ant & Dec, Phillip Schofield, Holly Willoughby and Christine Bleakley were joined by Paddy McGuinness for the 2012 live show, which was broadcast on 21st December and was watched by a peak audience of 6.2 million people.

UK based charities were invited to apply to become a Text Santa beneficiary earlier this year for 2013's appeal and following a selection process, we are proud to announce the six that were chosen. They are:

Age UK

Age UK has been selected again, having been one of the 2012 beneficiaries of Text Santa. Age UK helps millions of people every year. No one should have to spend later life cold, lonely or in poverty so Age UK provides vital information, advice and practical services to end needless suffering for older people.

Barnardo's

Barnardo's staff and volunteers work in the heart of local communities across the UK, providing vital care for disadvantaged children living in deprived circumstances. Barnardo's helps families who live below the poverty line, providing specialist care and support, including the emergency provision of basic necessities such as clothing, food and furniture; maybe a winter coat, a hot meal and a warm bed. In the current economic climate, there is an increasing demand for these services and the funds raised by Text Santa will support the most vulnerable children affected by poverty in the UK this Christmas, turning their lives around and helping them face the future with hope and confidence.

BeatBullying

BeatBullying is a bullying prevention charity, campaigning to make bullying unacceptable and providing support for children and young people affected by bullying.

They empower young people to mentor each other, in their communities and online and give them the support of specialist adult advisers and counsellors. They also provide support for parents and professionals working with young people, helping them to develop strategies to prevent bullying.

British Heart Foundation

Coronary heart disease is the UK's single biggest killer. For over 50 years we've pioneered research that's transformed the lives of people living with heart and circulatory conditions. Our work has been central to the discoveries of vital treatments that are changing the fight against heart disease. But so many people still need help. From babies born with life-threatening heart problems to the many Mums, Dads and Grandparents who survive a heart attack and endure the daily battles of heart failure.

CLIC Sargent

Every day, 10 children and young people in the UK hear the shocking news they have cancer. Treatment normally starts immediately, is often given many miles from home and can last for up to three years.

CLIC Sargent is the UK's leading cancer charity for children and young people, and their families. They provide clinical, practical, financial and emotional support to help them cope with cancer and get the most out of life. We are there from diagnosis onwards and aim to help the whole family deal with the impact of cancer and its treatment, life after treatment and, in some cases, bereavement.

Help the Hospices

Help the Hospices champions and supports the work of over 200 hospices across the UK. Hospices provide vital care for people with terminal and serious illnesses and their families, helping them to live well for the time they have left together.

Text Santa is an important part of ITVs Corporate Responsibility programme, using its reach to millions of people to help inspire, engage and empower viewers to make a difference . The organisation does not make any profit from the appeal and is proud that, with investment from ITV and support from Text Santas official partners, 100% of donations made by viewers go directly to the charities Text Santa supports.

- Ends -

Notes to Editors:

ITVs corporate responsibility campaigns use the combined influence of our programmes, online platforms and celebrity talent, to highlight causes and make a difference.

Collectively our campaigns in 2012 resulted in over £10.5 million being raised for various charities such as Unicef (Soccer Aid), Malaria No More (I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!) and many others locally, all thanks to the engagement and generosity of ITV viewers.

The highlight for ITV is Text Santa, raising over £5.5 million for six UK charities last year, including Age UK, Anthony Nolan, Carers UK, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Together for Short Lives and Whizz-Kidz.

The chosen charities, whose work was highlighted on the ITV primetime show, reported impacts such as a 1000% increase in shop revenue and increased demand for online services in January 2013, compared to the same period last year.

Text Santa raised enough money for over 180,000 older people to receive support from Age UK. The Charity offers services that help tackle loneliness and isolation. Services range from befriending calls and visits, to information and advice and practical services such as transportation, social activities and lunch clubs.

In the case of Anthony Nolan, the money raised by Text Santa paid for over 9,000 people to join the stem cell register. 9,000 potential lifesavers, who will stay on the register for years to come and may, at any time, be the lifesaving donor for a patient with blood cancer.

This year Carers UK used the funds raised from Text Santa to help 120,000 carers over the next 3 years to extend their Adviceline opening hours offering information and advice from expert advisors and emotional support for carers.

The donations raised for Together For Short Lives were dist

LINK:	http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/text-santa-will-return-i...
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