Poland’s largest charity fundraiser breaks records with staggering €32.7 million

Bus drivers in Gliwice put on an impressive display in support of the charity by creating an enormous red heart with their taillights. Mosquidron/ Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacji Miejskiej w Gliwicach

An annual charity event that raises money for the treatment of sick children pulled in over PLN 154 million (EUR 32.7 million) its organizers announced on Sunday evening.

The 31st Great Orchestra of Christmas charity (WOSP) finale in Warsaw brought to an end several weeks of countrywide fund-raising by WOSP volunteers, who collected donations for specialized medical equipment, mainly for children's hospitals.

Donors are rewarded with the popular WOSP red heart emblem to wear on their outer clothing as a sign of support for the organisation.  Darek Delmanowicz/PAP

Donors are rewarded with the popular WOSP red heart emblem to wear on their outer clothing as a sign of support for the organisation.

Bus drivers in Gliwice put on an impressive display in support of the charity by creating an enormous red heart with their taillights.

Darek Delmanowicz/PAP

Jakub Kaczmarczyk/PAP

On Sunday, around 120,000 volunteers took to the streets across Poland on Sunday as part of the final fund-raising campaign.Jakub Kaczmarczyk/PAP

Posting on social media on Saturday, MPK employees wrote: “Tonight, several drivers came together to create something great , such was the big heart made of 30 Solaris 12 and 15-meter buses.”

On Sunday, around 120,000 volunteers took to the streets across Poland on Sunday as part of the final fund-raising campaign. WOSP collections were held in other countries such as Britain, Ireland, Germany, the US, New Zealand, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.

Posting on social media on Saturday, MPK employees wrote: “Tonight, several drivers came together to create something great , such was the big heart made of 30 Solaris 12 and 15-meter buses.”Mosquidron/Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacji Miejskiej w Gliwicach

The income from this year's collection will buy equipment that will help in the diagnosis of sepsis, a WOSP spokesmen said.

WOSP also said that the organisation, known mainly for financing pediatric-care equipment, had decided to make an exception this year and also collect for medical equipment for elderly patients.

At midnight on Sunday, WOSP reported that its collection had brought in PLN 154,606,764 (EUR 32,837,306).