Perth Cherry Auction raises $140,000 for Perth Children's Hospital Foundation

Perth's annual Charity Cherry Auction saw the state's fruit and veggie industry heavyweights bid big for the first WA cherries of the season with a record total of $140,000 raised.

The centrepiece item, a 5kg prize box of cherries from Sweet Cherry Valley, Donnybrook, sold for $49,000 to Frankie Galati, through a joint bid between Galati Group and Fred Fairthorne of Fernbrook Fresh.

The joint bid means Frankie Galati was crowned this year's cherry king. In total, 21kg of cherries donated by cherry growers from WA's South West were auctioned.

Market West and Perth Markets Group Limited run the auction, supported by the Cherry Growers Association.

The event celebrated its 30th year in 2022, with all proceeds from the event donated to Perth Children's Hospital Foundation.

Perth Children's Hospital Foundation chief executive officer Carrick Robinson thanked the generosity of the state's fruit and veggie industry.

"The Cherry Auction has now raised more than $1.7 million for WA's sick kids over the past three decades, which is absolutely incredible," Ms Robinson said.

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Funds raised for PCHF benefit the Rare Care Centre, which coordinates research and advanced diagnostic approaches for the 63,000 WA kids with rare and undiagnosed diseases.

"The Rare Care Centre at Perth Children's Hospital improves awareness and early identification of children with potential rare diseases," Mr Robinson said.

"Additional funds for the Rare Care Centre will support more accurate diagnosis, improved care coordination and better access to community resources, clinical trials, and research for WA kids with rare and undiagnosed diseases and their families."

With four children of his own, Mr Galati said he was passionate about championing causes that focus on kids' health.

Since 2009, the Galati family have donated $293,000 to Perth Children's Hospital Foundation via the Cherry Auction, including taking home the coveted Cherry King crown on four occasions as well as being crowned joint Cherry King in 2018, 2019 and now, 2022.

"The Cherry Auction has been going strong for 30 years now, and it's once again been amazing to see everyone from the market community come together and dig deep to support WA kids," business owner and WA identity Tony Galati said.

"We're also going to start to ramp up production and start growing more of our own cherries here in WA, to boost our local industry and reduce reliance on importing cherries from South Australia."

Market West CEO Rod McPherson said the organisation's members and customers were always strong supporters of the Charity Cherry Auction and the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation's work for affected kids and their families.

"Despite the current social environment, today the fresh produce industry again showed their commitment to the community, digging deep for a great cause," he said.

"There was a terrific vibe at the auction today and it was reflected in the bidding and the result."

The most expensive box of cherries ever sold at the event was in 2019, when a whopping $110,000 three-way bid was placed by John Ale, Tony Ale & Co, Tony Galati, Galati Group and Fred Fairthorne, Fernbrook Fresh.

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