Westlife support for telethon hoping to raise in excess of five million pounds for People in Need.
In 1998, Telethon raised over £4.5 million making it one of the most successful telethons in the world. This year the People in Need telethon plans to top £5 million and has already raised half a million pounds.
Joe Duffy, Brendan O'Carroll and Gay Byrne in a publicity shot for Telethon 2000
Events will take place throughout the country. The RTÉ broadcast will be anchored in Dublin by hosts Gay Byrne, Joe Duffy and Brendan O’Carroll. Joe Duffy describes the fundraising events that go on around the country as "phenomenal".
Westlife, Telethon (2000)
Young Telethon events got going early in the day with star attraction pop band 'Westlife’. While it is all fun and games Kian Egan from the band says that the objective of the telethon is to raise five million pounds.
Hopefully this year we can raise five million.
Westlife themselves raised £15,000 when they raffled a signed platinum disc and their presence at RTÉ attracted hundreds of fans.
The message from the organisers is to give generously as all the money raised locally goes back into the local community.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 5 May 2000. The reporter is Colm O’Callaghan.
