The Good Friday Appeal is an annual

fundraising Fundraising or fund-raising is the process of seeking and gathering voluntary financial contributions by engaging individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies. Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gathe ...

activity on behalf of the

Royal Children's Hospital The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) is a major children's hospital in Melbourne, Australia. As a major specialist paediatric hospital in Victoria, the Royal Children's Hospital provides a full range of clinical services, tertiary care, as well ...

, in Melbourne,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The event occurs on

Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...

every year. In 2022, the appeal raised over $22 million, setting a new record. More than $345 million has been raised for the hospital since the appeal began in 1931. Individuals and businesses, clubs, schools and country towns throughout the state conduct activities to raise money for the hospital. The appeal is a non-political, non-denominational organisation that exists solely to financially support The Royal Children's Hospital. For the first time in 2014, the telethon was staged within the 2,500-seat Plenary theatre at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). The public were able to purchase tickets to join the live studio audience, with proceeds donated to the appeal. In 2016, the evening concert was marketed as a ticketed event via

Ticketek Ticketek is an Australian event ticketing company. Founded in 1979, the company is owned by TEG Pty Ltd with its headquarters in Sydney and operates ticketing operations for entertainment and sporting events in Australia and New Zealand. There ...

. The state-of-the-art MCEC complex, which is entirely undercover, also features a vast foyer area and support rooms which allowed the appeal to expand activities such as the popular Kids Day Out program and host community groups which fundraise for the hospital.

History

The Appeal started in 1931 when groups of journalists from The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd organised a sporting

carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

in aid of Melbourne hospitals. The proceeds from the appeal initially went to different hospitals each year, but from their third-year proceeds have gone exclusively to the Melbourne Royal Children's Hospital. In 1942, Sir Keith Murdoch as managing director and editor of ''The Herald'' agreed that ''The Herald'' and radio station 3DB should broadcast an all-day appeal on

. In 1957, the

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

joined the appeal and presented a three-hour telethon on Good Friday afternoon. In 1960, the telethon adopted the day-long format which continues annually to this day. During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the telethon was also re-broadcast through regional Victoria via local channels, with Prime Television being the sole regional broadcaster from 1992 with the aggregation of regional markets.

Funds raised

References

External links

*{{Official Site, http://www.goodfridayappeal.com.au
Donate to the Appeal

Herald Sun Shop Premiership Posters (proceeds to the Good Friday Appeal)
Culture of Melbourne Organisations based in Melbourne Seven Network Australian telethons 1931 establishments in Australia Television shows set in Melbourne

History

Funds raised

See also

References

External links