STV Children's Appeal raises £2.5m as Cammy Barnes invites Grangemouth choir to Hydro
Singer Cammy Barnes has invited the Young Portonian choir to join him on stage at one of his sold-out OVO Hydro shows next April.
STV's headquarters at Pacific Quay, Glasgow. File photo. · Photograph: Stephen Sweeney (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The STV Children's Appeal has raised £2,539,500 this year, with the total revealed during a live show presented by Lorraine Kelly from STV's Glasgow headquarters on Friday.
The appeal, now in its 15th year, supports children and families across Scotland who need it most.
A night to remember
Fife-born singer-songwriter Cammy Barnes performed on the show alongside two projects the appeal supports: Port Glasgow's Riverside Youth Band and a choir from the Young Portonian Theatre Company in Grangemouth.
He then invited the choir to join him on stage at one of his two sold-out concerts at Glasgow's OVO Hydro next April. He said he was blown away by their talent and that playing the Hydro would be one of the biggest nights of his life.
The choir's next performance is an Alice in Wonderland pantomime at Grangemouth Town Hall.
Projects in the spotlight
The programme also featured three other projects funded by the appeal: Achievement Bute in Rothesay, Step by Step in Moray and the Very Inclusive Play Club in Edinburgh. STV Radio's Friday schedule was replaced with appearances from celebrity supporters, including a live DJ set from comedian Karen Dunbar.
First Minister John Swinney said ending child poverty was a national mission. The Scottish Government has backed the appeal since 2011 with up to £1 million a year.
STV chief executive Rufus Radcliffe thanked viewers, fundraisers and partners for the total. Donations can still be made at stv.tv/appeal.