Two charities to lose €50k as Xtra-vision closes

Two children’s charities are at risk of losing more than €50,000 following the closure of Xtra-vision.

The Shane Filan-led charity single ‘When I Grow Up’, released before Christmas to benefit the Children’s Medical and Research Foundation in Crumlin and the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, reached number nine in the Irish charts.

However, funds raised from the sale of the single, which also featured more than 2,000 singers and a 16-piece orchestra, are in danger of being lost following the decision to place Xtra-vision — the distributors of the Matilda musical charity track — into provisional liquidation.

Stephen Macken, the producer of the single, said 18,000 CDs — equating to a potential total of €54,000 for the two charities — remain in the hands of HMV/Xtra-vision.

Mr Macken faced a similar problem three years ago when funds raised from another of his charity singles ‘Tiny Dancer’ came under threat after HMV went into receivership.

However, following the restructuring of the company, funds raised from the sale of the smash-hit single — the second-biggest charity single in Irish history following Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ — were saved.

Mr Macken said: “I’m very concerned at this development. Luckily, last week, I collected 22,000 units from HMV and Xtra-vision, without any knowledge that this was going to happen.

“But there are still 18,000 units left, which are our property and which are worth tens of thousands to the two charities, which I need to get hold of.

“I’ve been on to the liquidator and I’m waiting to hear back. These are our stock and funds, so I hope this will be quickly resolved, because at the end of the day it’s a lot of money that these charities desperately need.

“I can’t believe I’m facing this situation again, after what happened to ‘Tiny Dancer’.”