Up All Night to raise $1.5m

Members of the business community took part in a walking marathon on Saturday night and raised a record $1.5 million for Ronald McDonald House Charities WA.

A total of 1,200 people participated in the event, called Up All Night, which involved walking from Elizabeth Quay to Fremantle and back.

The 42-kilometre walk started at 8pm on Saturday night, with the name Up All Night a reminder of the time parents often spent with sick children.

A number of corporate teams participated in the event, with Team IGO taking top spot on the leader board after raising $77,627, followed by Euroz Hartleys collecting $72,465 and Team Fortescue Metals Group donating $71,247.

The event exceeded its $1 million fundraising target, and donations are still being counted.

The funds raised will go towards programs and services run by Ronald McDonald House Charities WA, including supported accommodation, continued education programs and family retreats.

Ronald McDonald House Charities WA chief executive Peter King said Up All Night was an opportunity for Western Australians to help ill children and their families.

“Each year more families are reaching out for our support and we rely on the generosity of business and community to join us in caring for them,” he said.

“Our partnership with IGO, FMG and Barminco is grounded in a shared understanding of the challenges for regional families with sick children far from home.

“It’s vital young regional patients have their parents and siblings close throughout their medical treatment.”

The event was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, but in 2019, it raised just over a $1 million.

In 2019, Ronald McDonald House provided accommodation for 1,929 families with sick children.