Celebrating 25 years of Radio Lollipop Uniform Free Day
Transperth’s annual Radio Lollipop Uniform Free Day, which helps bring smiles and laughter to sick children across the state, returns for its milestone 25th year on March 11.
Bus drivers and other Public Transport Authority staff will again dress up in eye-catching costumes to raise money for sick kids in WA hospitals.
Radio Lollipop, which stands for Lots Of Love and Laughter In Place Of Pain, is a children’s charity which aims to bring a moment of joy to children in hospital, with in-ward activities such as drawing and colouring, visits from volunteers, and a nightly kids’ radio show they can call in to from their beds and request their favourite songs.
Uniform Free Day is the main fundraiser for Radio Lollipop (WA), which operates out of Perth Children’s Hospital and is streamed to satellite sites in Kalgoorlie, Bunbury, Midland, Murdoch, Rockingham, Joondalup, Fiona Stanley and Armadale hospitals.
Transperth spokesman David Hynes said more than $1.5 million had been raised since Uniform Free Day began in 1995.
“Children in hospitals all over WA benefit from the wonderful work Radio Lollipop does,” he said.
“Our passengers are a very generous bunch and they always dig deep for Radio Lollipop Uniform Free Day, so I’d urge everyone to start collecting spare change and be sure to bring it with them if they’re commuting on March 11.”
Radio Lollipop charity coordinator Melissa Sparta-Dawes said celebrating 25 years of Uniform Free Day with Transperth and the WA community was a significant achievement for the charity.
“We are so humbled by the commitment of Perth’s bus drivers and other staff, and the thousands of generous public transport passengers, school students and city workers who donate in support of Radio Lollipop each and every year,” she said.
“It’s amazing just how far every donated dollar stretches to support our volunteers and provide our unique brand of play and entertainment in hospitals across the state.”
“We just love to spend time with children like Hendrix, Maya and Eliza - the stars of this year’s campaign - giving them an opportunity to play and be children in a hospital environment that can sometimes be strange, isolating and traumatic.”
Along with dressed-up bus drivers across the network, a team of volunteers will be collecting donations at major train stations, including Perth, Perth Underground and Elizabeth Quay between 7am and 9am – just look for the people in costume or Radio Lollipop t-shirts.
People not commuting on the day can still donate to Radio Lollipop by visiting www.transperth.wa.gov.au and clicking the Radio Lollipop banner.
Media contacts:
PTA media line: 9326 2526
Radio Lollipop’s Melissa Sparta-Dawes: 0421 447 889