A new campaign led by Perth charities urges the community to flick on their fairy lights to show gratitude for frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Starting from Friday May 8 the initiative encourages residents to string up fairy lights and share their photos on social media with friends and family.

Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research created the event alongside a group of Perth charities, including Teach Learn Grow, who often join forces to share ideas about fundraising.

Chief Funding Manager at TLG Cate Leedman says instead of acting as competitors the charities came together with the same aim to say thank you to hard working frontline staff.

“Each of our key organisations has our key frontline workers,” she says.

“We wanted to focus on engagement and make sure while we’re struggling through this pandemic that we can all band together even if it’s from the insides of our homes.”

The campaign sends thanks to all frontline workers, not just from health care, including teachers, pharmacists, police, and workers supporting the homeless.

Cate Leedman says TLG’s frontline workers are the teachers who have been attending school and working behind the scenes, particularly in rural areas.

“We’re so thankful to our educators who have set up students, whether they’re at home or school, especially in rural areas where a lot of kids are subject to a lot more disadvantage during this pandemic,” she says.  

“We’re all grateful for the people who have continued to be out there working every day and putting their health secondary to help others.”

Head of Education at Curtin University Professor Rhonda Oliver also recognised education as a key component to society.

“Without good education there is always issues, so [educators] have always been the frontliners in all sorts of things in our community,” she says.

“They do their job because they’re passionate about teaching and their students but we all like to be recognised for the good job we do.”

If you would like to get involved simply light up the night with fairy lights and share a photo using the hashtag #frontlinefairylights