The 23rd Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, Poland’s largest annual fundraiser for pediatric and elderly care, kicked off on Sunday morning across the country as well as abroad.
Around 120,000 volunteers have taken to the streets to raise money for the charity, which last year raised over PLN 35 million for hospital equipment.
This year, money is being raised for pediatric oncology, cardiology and rheumatology, as well as equipment for care centres for the elderly.
Around 1,500 donation centres are in operation nationwide, as well as 50 points abroad.
By 3.30pm Warsaw time, around PLN 5 million had already been donated to the charity.
A number of different events are taking place throughout Poland, culminating in the grand final which is held in downtown Warsaw on Sunday evening.
President Bronislaw Komorowski is also taking part in the charity drive, offering bidders the chance to take a drive in a Cadillac 355D, which was bought by Poland in 1935 for Marshal Jozef Pilsudski, regarded as one of the founding fathers of post-partition Poland after World War I.
(jb, Polskie radio dla zagranicy)
Picture: Head of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Jurek Owsiak kicks off Sunday's proceedings at the TVP public broadcaster studios in Warsaw. Photo: PAP/Jacek Turczyk
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Dariusz Cisowski
