Telethon Chairman Richard Goyder vows the much-loved event will go ahead ‘in some form’ this year

Telethon chairman Richard Goyder has vowed that WA’s much-loved fundraising event will go ahead in some form this year, despite the widespread disruption caused by coronavirus.

Channel 7 Perth’s Telethon Weekend is scheduled for October 24 and 25, but could be affected if limits on mass gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are not lifted in time.

Mr Goyder does not expect Telethon to exceed last year’s $42.6 million fundraising total, given the financial impact of the virus. Instead he called on WA to show its “generosity of spirit”.

“We can do things a bit differently and we might have to do things a bit differently, but there will be some sort of Telethon weekend,” Mr Goyder, pictured, said.

“We could be a part of the good news story in terms of recovery because I think people, as we come out of this, are going to want that community engagement and solidarity as a community.”

Australians have been warned they will have to live with social distancing restrictions until at least October.

Mr Goyder said the Telethon trustees were looking at different scenarios and a decision would be made closer to the event. Telethon has broken its own fundraising record year on year to raise more than $350 million for children in need since it began in 1968.

But Mr Goyder conceded that this year could be different.

“It would be extraordinary to surpass last year given the generosity people had to bushfires and the economic consequences of coronavirus,” he said.

“I think we’re actually more interested this year in the generosity of spirit. Telethon can be bigger and better than ever, even if the tally board isn’t.”

Mr Goyder and Telethon’s board of trustees have distributed the $42.6 million raised last year to 54 beneficiaries.

Restrictions because of COVID-19 will prevent some organisations from carrying out their Telethon-funded project, but Mr Goyder said they would still get the money.

He urged people to do what they could to help this year. “They may not be able to help as much as they have in the past, but they’ll certainly help them, and they’ll say we want this thing to show our mettle as a community,” he said.

“In other words, it shows that we’re a caring, giving community despite what have been very difficult circumstances.”