Update from Acting Chief Officer Gavin Freeman

CFA members have been passionately supporting the Good Friday Appeal for over 60 years. 

Update

Together, the organisation has collected over $30 million in that time. It’s one of the great things our organisation does.

Money raised from the Good Friday Appeal goes towards ensuring The Royal Children's Hospital continues to offer world-class care, the latest equipment and research to help sick children have the best start in life.

Every year I’m blown away by the generosity of all Victorians, especially our members who so passionately raise money with their local communities. We band together as one on the fire ground, and we band together for a good cause on Good Friday too.

While Good Friday is the focus, there is plenty happening in the lead up to the big day. 

Today we’re joining MFB once again for the annual Treadmill Challenge. This event sees the CFA and MFB firefighters join forces to raise funds for The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Good Friday Appeal in conjunction with Uncle Bob’s Club. With both organisations competing to run the furthest on a treadmill in the Bourke Street Mall over a 14 hour period, the main aim of the run is to raise awareness and collect money for the Good Friday Appeal for people, but make no mistake - we want to win!

Along with a number of other emergency service organisations, we’ll be participating in the Good Friday Appeal’s Teddy Bear Hospital - Kids Day Out initiative. This is a wonderful program run by volunteer medical students from the University of Melbourne. The core aim of the Teddy Bear Hospital is to reduce children’s fear or anxiety associated with medical environments, procedures and professionals by familiarising children with health care in a fun, educational and interactive way. This will be taking place on Good Friday at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre - I would encourage anyone who is around to get along a buy a teddy bear for what is a wonderful cause.

I’ll be at the telethon tomorrow night, and at some stage will be publicly presenting our grand total. I’d love to see what everyone is doing for the day - let us know what fundraising activities your brigade will be participating in this Good Friday by posting on social media using the hashtag #CFAGFA.

Keep each other safe out there - click here for more information on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our members (including children and young people) during the Appeal.

Well done to each and every tin shaker, cake baker, and raffle holder who will give their time to the Good Friday Appeal this year - it’s one of the reasons Victorians loves CFA.

Author: Gavin Freeman