| Founded | 13 September 1931 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Wallace Sharland, Dave McNamara, J. J. Maher, and George Sparrow.[1] |
| Type | Fundraiser |
| Focus | The Royal Children's Hospital |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 37°47′42″S 144°56′59″E / 37.79500°S 144.94972°E |
Area served | Victoria |
| Method | Telethon, collection tins, online donations, various other events |
Key people | Rebecca Cowan, director |
| Website | www |
Formerly called | Alfred Hospital Appeal, Children's Hospital Appeal |
| Not-for-profit charity | |
The Good Friday Appeal is an annual fundraising activity on behalf of the Royal Children's Hospital, in Melbourne, Australia. The event occurs on Good Friday every year.
In 2023, the appeal raised over $23 million, setting a new record. More than $368 million[2] 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 Hall 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.
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.