Good Friday Appeal achieves fund-raising record

April 7, 2007

Another Good Friday, another fund-raising record broken. That seems to be how it goes these days for Victoria, Australia's annual Good Friday Appeal. The 2007 Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal raised a record-breaking AU$11,788,970.80, amounting to an increase of $1,508,438.30 over last year's total of $10,280,532.50.

For 50 years, the Seven Network has been part of and televised the Good Friday Appeal, which raises money to support programs for children with life-threatening illnesses. The money raised benefits the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne.

For this year's Appeal, Seven Network, The Herald, and the Weekly Times Herald Sun teamed up with 3AW, and, according to HSV7 Melbourne boss Ian Johnson, the Appeal will remain on the Seven Network for many years to come.

Good Friday Appeal director Christine Unsworth thanked all who pledged money in the Appeal, and the many volunteers who donated their time to the cause. "I'd like to thank all Victorians for giving their money, their time and their dedication to the appeal," she said. "We've had people working all over the state and without them the appeal wouldn't be what it is."

The Appeal's telethon receives support from Melbourne celebrities in raising funds from all sectors of the community, from corporations to households. The Appeal started in 1931, when journalists from the Herald and Weekly Times organized a sporting event to help the children's hospital raise funds.