ITV has announced that Macmillan Cancer Support, Make-A-Wish UK and Save the Children will be its three beneficiary charities for the Text Santa Appeal 2015.
The Text Santa Appeal, which has raised over £21m since its inception in 2010, will run between 1 and 18 December. It will culminate in a television broadcast on ITV which will showcase the three charities' work and the impact they have in the UK and around the world.
In previous years ITV has chosen up to six charities but has reduced the number it is supporting to three to "form a stronger narrative".
The three beneficiary charities were selected from a pool of organisations who previously registered an interest in working in partnership with ITV and who met the broadcaster's criteria which, according to a statement, are:
"[Getting] chosen charities to quantify how donations raised will equate to hours of care, in order to give a common denominator across all charities and help us form a stronger narrative across the impact the appeal has on our societies."
In 2014, the Text Santa appeal raised over £6.2m for Teenage Cancer Trust, Guide Dogs, Marie Curie and Alzheimer’s Society, Well Child and Together for short lives.
Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “A third of the money raised through the Text Santa appeal will fund our Macmillan nurses and essential workers who provide vital emotional, practical and financial support to families affected by cancer”.
Jason Suckey, chief executive of Make-A-Wish, said: “The money raised will help grant magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening conditions.
“Wishes can provide time away from hospital treatment and give desperately ill children something to look forward to. For families, they're a chance to create precious memories together – whatever the future may hold.”
Justin Forsyth, Chief Executive of Save the Children said: “The partnership with ITV and Text Santa is an opportunity for Save the Children to showcase its cause to a huge family audience and raise vital funds for our work to help improve the lives of children both in the UK and across the globe“.
Further information will be made available on the appeal and broadcast later in the autumn.
