Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal 2016

Pretty Little Braids had the honour of braiding at this years’ Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal (‘Appeal’). Thousands of communities come together every year across Victoria and beyond, to give to this worthy cause. The money raised from the Appeal helps fund equipment, research, and education for our World Class Royal Children’s Hospital (‘RCH’).

Personally, I have grown up in a family who has donated to this great appeal for 35 years. We have always donated through the tin rattler volunteers who are happy to give up their time to stand by the roadside every Easter weekend. Now, as a mother, I ensure that my children look forward to the fire truck that passes by our home with their collection tins each year. We make a donation, take a precious photo and then catch the Channel 7 live telethon that runs all day, broadcast across Victoria.

For Pretty Little Braids, this was our first year braiding at the Appeal. Our braiding stand was in operation at the ‘Kids Day Out’ held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Kids Day Out is a great family event with a fantastic wonderland of fun and entertainment for all. Our amazing team of volunteer braiders set out to pamper as many little girls as possible with a braid and a bow for a gold coin donation. Our team came together to the delight of over 500 little girls.

The magic of our braiding, embellished with a dazzling bright bow, put smiles on so many faces. Each and every child that had their hair braided on the day went home with a keepsake bow donated by Pretty Little Braids and the wonderful generosity of Jenny at Jast Creations.

The face of the 2016 campaign was the adorable Simone, age 6. She has been a patient at the Royal Children’s Hospital since she was an infant, suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy and it was our absolute pleasure to braid her and her best friends hair on this day. Simone is one of the thousands of patients at the hospital who needs ongoing help. She is a perfect example of why our support and the appeal’s dedication are so important. You can read her story here.

With our combined efforts prior to and on Good Friday, Pretty Little Braids managed to raise over $2,500 contributing to what was a record year for the charity. What an amazing effort for such a worthy cause!

So many people continue to support this wonderful cause, and it acts as a reminder to me of how fortunate I am to have such healthy, happy children. It is comforting to know that we have such a special place that cares for those in need. I will certainly cherish my first experience to help that little bit more and look forward to being invited back next year with hopes to raise at least $3,000.