Neighbours Gives

In the height of the Australian summer you expect blistering heat, you expect sunburn after a long day soaking up too much sun and forgetting to apply lotion to that one spot on your back. In the height of the Australian summer you do not expect to hear that part of the East Coast is flooded and you definitely hope not to hear about the tragedies that come with it.

Australia is famous for many things, Ayers Rock, Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. It's famous for its Kangaroo's, Koala Bears and Dangerous Animals... It's also famous for the TV Drama, Neighbours. 90% of the British tourists that come to Melbourne, want to go to Ramsey Street, the one and only home of Neighbours.

I'm British, I'm in Melbourne and I've just become part of that 90%.

The normal Neighbours night happens every Monday without failure at the Elephant and Wheelbarrow in St Kilda. It's a night where the shows favourite actors come down and meet the fans - Dr Karl (Alan Fletcher) even performs in his band, Waiting Room. This Monday however was an entirely different story.

Neighbours stars, producers and help from an excellent crew, teamed together to produce a mega, all-star, once off Neighbours night out in aid of raising funds for all the Australian floodings - and raise them they did.

The grand total raised was an impressive $22, 607.

The night was a blitz of charity auctions where you could win a Neighbour's street sign, signed photos, skydives and travelling trips, to name just a few of the prizes. The night was full of sounds from the bands of past Neighbours stars and present, with special performances from Ringo, Paul Robinson and Dr Karl Kennedy.

The sold out event didn't just stop there - over 20 cast members new and old, including characters Steph Scully, Stingray and Dylan turned up in good spirits for photos, conversations and games. The crowd of many fans continued to throw money at the excellent cause all throughout the night.

Several people have told me that everybody loves Neighbours - certainly on this evening the statement couldn't have been more true.

The 26 year old drama has stayed on our screens through many story lines and produced many singers and actors we still hear from today. The Cast and Crew certainly maintained their brilliance on Monday 24th January 2011, in this fund raising, fun night!!

Well done to everyone you did Australia proud - with special thanks to Alan Fletcher, who rounded up the troops.

It just goes to show, everybody really does need good Neighbours.