The charity thanks the public for helping to change the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

Today BBC Children in Need announced its final fundraising total for the 2016 Appeal, a record breaking £60 million. The charity said that the incredible total would not have been possible without the public once again coming together to help raise money to change the lives of disadvantaged children and young people.

The 2016 total grew to £60 million as donations and fundraising income continued to pour in following BBC Children in Need’s 2016 Appeal show which culminated with an on-the-night total of £46.6million. The spectacular 2016 Appeal show included incredible musical performances from the likes of Little Mix, Busted and Craig David as well as a Fantastic Beasts special, a kid’s edition of Would I Lie To You and much more.

The 2016 total is the highest amount of money raised by the charity in its history and is the culmination of the efforts of every single person across the UK who did something to raise money, from cake baking to sky diving. The money raised will go to projects working in communities throughout the UK to positively impact the lives of disadvantaged children and young people.

BBC Children in Need is currently supporting 2,400 projects in communities across the UK that are helping children and young people facing a range of disadvantages such as living in poverty, being disabled or ill, or experiencing distress, neglect or trauma. In the last year alone, BBC Children in Need has been able to make a real difference to 480,000 young lives in communities the length and breadth of the UK.

Speaking of the total, Simon Antrobus, Chief Executive of BBC Children in Need, says: “The impact this incredible amount of money will have on some of the most disadvantaged children and young people is hard to put into words; it really will go on to change the lives of young people across the UK who need it most. To our supporters who made this possible: thank you, we simply couldn’t have done it without you.”

Highlights from the 2016 campaign include BBC Radio 2’s amazing fundraising efforts spearheaded by Chris Evans’ Breakfast Show which saw millions raised through CarFest and the Breakfast Show’s incredible auctions, Countryfile’s 2016 calendar and Ramble weekends, The One Show’s Rickshaw Challenge and a concert in honour of Sir Terry Wogan. BBC TV and radio stations across the Nations and Regions threw themselves into fundraising whilst the charity’s corporate partners, including Lloyds Banking Group, Asda and Boots UK, once again galvanised customers and staff to support Pudsey. And of course, the hundreds and thousands of people across the UK who supported the charity in many different ways.

BBC Children in Need currently funds around 2,400 projects and in 2016 allocated £61 million in grants to projects working with disadvantaged children and young people the length and breadth of the UK. Projects currently receiving funding include Touchdown Dance in Sale, Manchester which benefits from a three-year grant of £69,500 to provide therapeutic dance and arts activities for young people with sensory, physical and emotional disabilities in Greater Manchester and Merseyside. In Scotland, Glasgow based DASH Club benefits from a three-year grant of £141,900 to provide weekly drama, sports and recreational sessions to disabled children and young people in the area. In Wales, Medrwn Môn in Ynys Môn receive a three-year grant of £110,994 to support the development of a Youth Council for disadvantaged and isolated children and young people in the area and in Northern Ireland, The Fostering Network NI receives a three-year grant of £79,799 to deliver support to children and young people across Northern Ireland that are in kinship care.

For more information about BBC Children in Need, please visit www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey

Notes to Editors

• The 2016 total is the charity’s highest total ever. In 2015 the charity raised £56.9 million.
• The BBC Children in Need Appeal is a charity registered in England and Wales (802052) and Scotland (SC039557). Its aim is to make a positive change to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.
• BBC Children in Need’s vision is that every child in the UK has a safe, happy and secure childhood and the chance to reach their potential. We will realise this vision by supporting, promoting and publicising work that addresses the challenges that children and young people face and work that builds their skills and resilience.
• The 2016 On-the-Night total was £46.6million. This total grew to £60 million as donations and fundraising income from across the UK was paid in subsequent months. To date, the charity has raised over £909 million.