Felix&Friends becomes Official Sponsor of Royal Flying Doctor Service Gala Dinner 2014
Felix&Friends was approached by the trustees and chairman of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Friends in the UK) to help create a gala event in London, bigger and more engaging than the previous. Our involvement with the Gala Dinner 2014 demonstrates our commitment to supporting vital humanitarian organisations through official sponsorship and comprehensive event support. The evening raised over £100,000 for essential medical services across remote Australia.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service represents one of the world's most recognised humanitarian organisations, providing vital medical treatment and emergency services across the vast reaches of Australia's remote regions. Since 1928, this iconic service has delivered 24-hour emergency cover and clinical health care across 7.3 million square kilometres, treating patients in isolated communities where conventional medical services cannot reach.
The RFDS - Friends in the UK chapter plays a crucial role in supporting these operations through fundraising events that connect Australian individuals, businesses and British donors with this extraordinary Australian service.
In November 2014, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Friends in the UK) hosted their second Gala Dinner, building on the success of their inaugural fundraising celebration. The event brought together distinguished guests, generous donors and committed supporters united by understanding the critical importance of remote healthcare provision. For communities across Australia's inland regions, the Royal Flying Doctor Service represents the difference between life and death, providing emergency medical evacuations, routine clinical care and preventative health services to almost 300,000 patients annually.
Felix&Friends' Official Sponsorship and Early Involvement
Felix&Friends became involved in the gala event from the early planning stages, looking at event spaces, understanding the arrival experience, through to seat planning, entertainment and fundraising activation. Meticulous attention was given to every detail: from invitation design and event branding to auction materials and sponsor and donor recognition.
When Felix&Friends was asked to become an official sponsor of the event, we accepted without hesitation, recognising both the vital importance of the charity's mission and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully through design expertise and financial support.
Official sponsorship of humanitarian fundraising events represents more than financial contribution. It demonstrates corporate commitment to supporting organisations whose missions create genuine positive impact for underserved populations. For Felix&Friends, supporting the Royal Flying Doctor Service aligned with our values: applying sophisticated design capabilities and resources to strengthen organisations providing essential services to those who need them most.
Distinguished Entertainment and Generous Donor Support
The 2014 Gala Dinner featured exceptional entertainment that celebrated the charity's Australian heritage whilst appealing to British supporters. Presenter Adam Hills brought his characteristic warmth and humour to the evening, engaging guests whilst conveying the serious importance of the Royal Flying Doctor Service's work. Australian singing legend Kate Ceberano performed a wonderful medley of previous and current songs, her performance providing both entertainment and emotional connection to the Australian communities the charity serves.
The auction component proved central to the evening's fundraising success. Specially donated prizes were presented throughout the evening, with enthusiastic bidding from guests who understood their contributions would directly fund aircraft, medical equipment and essential services. The auction atmosphere balanced sophisticated restraint appropriate for a charitable gala with genuine enthusiasm from donors eager to support vital humanitarian work.
Substantial Fundraising Success
The evening's result, raising over £100,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service Australia, demonstrated how thoughtful event design combined with committed sponsorship and generous donor support can deliver substantial funding for vital charitable missions.
This significant sum directly supports the purchase of aircraft, medical equipment and operational costs that enable the Royal Flying Doctor Service to continue providing essential healthcare to remote Australian communities.
Felix&Friends' involvement from early planning stages through official sponsorship established the foundation for what would become a long-term partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Friends in the UK), supporting subsequent gala events and digital platform development over the following years.
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View AllThe pandemic has highlighted the importance of the online user experience even more so for charities that typically deliver their services or raise money in the community. As challenges for the non-profit sector is set to continue for the foreseeable future and many of the changes it has brought about are likely to become permanent, all organisations must have the capability to deliver services, messaging and income generation across all digital platforms.
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