Kids Day Out 2020 | Good Friday Appeal - Cancelled

The Herald & Weekly Times' commitment to community initiatives is long-standing - the Good Friday Appeal which raises funds for the Royal Melbourne Children's Hospital began in 1931, and has raised hundreds of millions of dollars. This year we will again raise much-needed funds for our sick children, their families and the hospital's medical teams.

However it's critical to minimise the risk of public exposure to COVID-19. Our priority is the health and safety of the public, our people, our volunteers, hospital staff, patients and families. For this reason we've decided to cancel the Herald Sun/Transurban Run for The Kids on Sunday March 29 and Kids Day Out at the MCEC on Friday April 10, both of which have long enjoyed the Victorian people's overwhelming support.

The Good Friday Appeal, which runs activities throughout the year in every corner of our state, will continue. The Good Friday Appeal and Run for the Kids will provide further information early next week. We'll also provide updates to the public on how people can provide support during this difficult time.

Channel 7's Good Friday Telethon will also be broadcast. I urge Victorians to not let COVID-19 stop us from raising more funds than ever this year - The Royal Children's Hospital's 150th year - and to dig deep for our kids.

Australians showed their true spirit during the bushfire crisis. The circumstances we now find ourselves in provides another opportunity for Australians to pull together and unite behind a common cause. It's important we do so for our children.

Channel 7's Managing Director Melbourne, Lewis Martin, said: "This is the right decision at this time but be assured our Good Friday Appeal telethon, which is rightly held in such great affection by all Victorians, will go ahead. For the sake of the children, their families and medical staff who do so much good work it's imperative that we keep the fundraising in place right up to Good Friday, and beyond."

The Good Friday Appeal is still running this year so people can still get involved by:

Donating

Buying a raffle ticket

Watching the Telethon on Channel 7

Statement from Penny Fowler, Chairman of The Herald & Weekly Times and The Good Friday Appeal.
13th March, 2020