Sony Foundation’s Wharf4Ward raises record $1.4m

Charity organisation Sony Foundation’s signature Wharf4Ward event in Sydney raised a record $1.4 million last Thursday.

Celebrating its 10^th anniversary, it brought the event’s totally tally raised for 15—25-year-olds with cancer to over $8 million.

1000 guests at Woolloomooloo Wharf were entertained by John Farnham and band who performed on top of a glass boat (and invariably brought the place down with the event’s theme song 'You’re The Voice'), Jessica Mauboy and Conrad Sewell.

John Farnham and band.

There was also a mystery act but media were banned from reporting who it was (some had to sign waivers) with guests’ mobiles turned off so the identity didn’t leak out.

Wharf4Ward is part of Sony Foundation’s You Can campaign.

Wharf4Ward funds have enabled over 4,000 youth cancer patient visits to You Can Centres for age-appropriate care and support services.

$1.8 million has gone to the You Can centre in Perth ($1.8million, opened in 2013) and in Melbourne ($1.5million, opened in 2016).

The figure of people helped is expected to double with the opening of two more centres in 2019 in Sydney ($1.5 million) and Brisbane ($1.8 million).

To celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the Sony Foundation, made up of all the company’s divisions including the recorded music, publishing, computer and games sectors, global chairman of Sony Corporation, Kazuo Hirai travelled from Japan to be in attendance.