TV and radio stations have linked up for a day-long fundraising appeal for the victims of the war in Ukraine.

The Giro555 appeal was launched 6am on radio stations including NPR Radio 2, 3FM, QMusic, Radio 538 and Veronica, accompanied by promotions on social media.

The fund has already raised €21.4m in the 11 days since Russia began its invasion.

Listeners can request a song until 9pm in exchange for a donation, or give money directly via the website radio555.nl.

In the evening a joint TV programme, Samen in actie voor Oekraïne, will be broadcast on NPO1, RTL4 and SBS, presented by Chantal Janzen and Rob Kemps from 8.30pm.

‘It’s a drop on a very hot stove, but if everyone can do their bit that’s a good and honorable service and great that people in this country can put their weight behind it,’ said presenter Sander Lantinga.

Previous Giro555 campaigns raised €208 mn for the victims of the Asian earthquake in 2004-05, €111 mn for the Haiti earthquake in 2011 and €52 mn for victims of the 1999–2000 Kosovo war.

The running total will be announced at the end of the programme at 11pm.