More than 20 young people's charities across Oxfordshire have received a share of almost £50,000 from Fox FM.

The radio station's Help an Oxfordshire Child appeal raised £48,890 through a variety of events during the past year and 22 charities have been given grants from the fund.

Fundraising activities included a football match between the cast of teen soap Hollyoaks and Fox FM staff and a buggy trek at Blenheim Palace for parents and babies.

The Santas on the Run event last December, in association with the Helen and Douglas House hospice, also helped to bring in cash.

In April, at the Templars Square branch of Co-op, presenters Simon Ross and Adam Ball teamed up with store manager John Hayter to ask customers to add an extra £1 to their shopping bills over one weekend to help the fund.

One of the recipients of this year's cash was Bicester-based charity the Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT), which offers information, support and training to anyone affected by brain injuries sustained during childhood.

Rachel Ritter, CBIT's fundraising manager, said: "The grant of £1,500 will make a huge difference to CBIT. We will be able to organise local events that will benefit more than 20 families.

"These include a pizza-making day for children with an acquired brain injury and a family bowling night."

The Abingdon Damascus Youth Project received £3,000 from the appeal, enabling it to run a 10-week course for teenagers living in villages around the town.

The course will be led by the young people alongside a trained drug and alcohol councillor who will educate them on the dangers of substance misuse.

Rita Atkinson, one of the charity's founding trustees, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have the grant. It will help us carry out the work we want to do.

"Our charity is about enabling young people to become community leaders and role models for other young people."

Teresa Thompson, Help an Oxfordshire Child's charity manager, said: "I would like to thank everyone who has helped us raise this money. It will make such a difference to so many young people."

  • For information about the fund and the list of supported charities see www.foxfm.co.uk/charity