Daylesford teacher Natalie Kirby, and a host of volunteers, are again collecting donations for The Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal – and they hope to best last year’s total of just over $21,000.

Natalie, who teaches physical education and health at Daylesford College, said this year monies raised would be shared with regional paediatric health services – including Grampians Health.

It’s the first time in the appeal’s history that funding will help take the RCH excellence into the regions to support training, scholarships and state-of-the-art equipment.

“I was really pleased to hear that because spreading the money is really great and gives children in rural and remote areas access to excellent health care. Sometimes it can be tricky to get to Melbourne and if you can get care closer to home that is fantastic.”

Natalie said last year’s Good Friday weather conditions had been “horrific, almost monsoonal rain all day” with people reacting by being very generous.

“I think they felt sorry for us and we raised over $21,000. Of course, the competitive part of me always wants to do better each year, and with Covid meaning people don’t carry cash anymore, we are also inventing lots of ways people can donate electronically.”

That includes the online fundraising page and there will also be EFTPOS machines at the raffle table in the Daylesford Coles breezeway most days from now until Good Friday, and outside the Daylesford Town Hall on the big day.

Natalie said every little donation and raffle ticket purchase helped the cause, which she is passionate about for many reasons.

“I spent a fair bit of time in and out of the Children’s as a kid, a lot as an outpatient, and I have lots of friends whose children or brothers and sisters have been there. Also, as a teacher I believe very strongly in the power of children, they are our future, and if we can nurture them, and support them and keep them healthy, we should.”

For more information head to the group’s Facebook or Instagram pages and to donate go to www.fundraise.goodfridayappeal.com.au/fundraisers/Daylesford

How the appeal started

In 1931, the Children’s Hospital was at risk of closure due to soaring costs, overcrowding and under resourcing. On hearing this, a team of journalists from The Sporting Globe, part of the Herald and Weekly Times, decided to hold a sports carnival to raise money for sick children.

On September 3, 1931, a crowd of 20,000 spectators enjoyed a sports carnival which began with a football match involving competing jockeys from Flemington and Caulfield, followed by a game with WWI veterans representing the north and the south of the Yarra. A total of £427 was raised to support the appeal.

In 1942, journalist and carnival organiser Jim Blake suggested to the Herald and Weekly Times managing director, Sir Keith Murdoch, that the appeal join forces with HWT radio station, 3DB and run an appeal on Good Friday.

Sir Keith agreed, and the partnership enabled the first all-day broadcast held on Good Friday, raising £8310 for the Children’s Hospital.

Words: Donna Kelly

This Easter is a great chance to support Daylesford and surrounds annual Good Friday Appeal raising funds for The Royal Children’s Hospital.

The main sponsor of this annual fundraising favourite locally is Biggin Scott, real estate agents in Daylesford.

Biggin Scott director Michael DeVincentis, pictured above far right, with fellow director Tom Shaw and local coordinator Natalie Kirby and her children, says it’s a cause close to his own heart.

“I spent some time in The Royal Children’s Hospital myself as a kid. They basically saved my life,” Michael says.

Michael survived that childhood playground misadventure and went on to have children and now grandchildren of his own.

“We all have kids in our lives,” he says.

Natalie also spent some of her childhood in The Royal Children’s where she forged some wonderful friendships.

As someone who also clearly cares deeply for children it’s a cause very close to her heart as well. She says there’ll be plenty of great opportunities to support this year’s appeal and help it strive to better last year’s record fundraising total of $22,981.

There are some great prizes to be won through the appeal’s raffle with tickets being sold at multiple sites ranging from Biggin Scott’s main street offices to local schools and childcare providers as well as various local businesses.

“We’ll also be selling tickets outside Coles (Daylesford) from this Saturday (April 1)  – so Saturday, Sunday and throughout the week,” Natalie says.

Then on Good Friday (Friday, April 7) Biggin Scott will have a marquee at the front of the Daylesford Town Hall in Vincent Street, Michael says, providing another prime chance to grab a ticket or several, and support the excellent cause.

Daylesford has a long history of generously supporting this cause. In fact this is the appeal’s 93^rd year.

“We couldn’t do it without the community and the generosity of local businesses,” Natalie says.

“We aim to raise a bit more each year and last year we raised nearly $23,000.”

Michael reckons $30,000 is a good goal to reach for this time around – “why not?” he says.

Those keen to contribute can go to the dedicated Facebook page for Good Friday Appeal Daylesford and Surrounds.

There’s also an Instagram account and dedicated fundraising page, making it easy to donate via the virtual tin shake.

The Good Friday Appeal relies on the support of the community to raise funds to ensure that The Royal Children’s Hospital is able to keep providing world-class care to young patients and their families.

Each year the hospital treats more than 44,000 children in the wards and medical centre, 91,000 in emergency and sees over 470,000 through telehealth or as outpatients in the community.

To contribute to the appeal head to:

Facebook: Good Friday Appeal Daylesford & Surrounds 

Instagram: goodfridayappeal_daylesford

Web: https://fundraise.goodfridayappeal.com.au/fundraisers/Daylesford

Words: Eve Lamb