Virgin Australia will be flying more than 50 celebrities and special guests to Perth for this weekend’s Telethon, after signing on as Official Airline Partner to the event.

One of the most important VIPs will be Little Telethon Star, Tahlia Polmear, who will be guest of honour travelling with her family from Esperance to Perth for the event.

Virgin Australia Group Executive Regional Airlines, Merren McArthur, said: “Telethon is a wonderful opportunity for businesses and communities to band together to raise money to support children like Tahlia all over Western Australia.

“Virgin Australia acquired Skywest Airlines earlier this year and we are very pleased to be continuing Skywest’s tradition of sponsoring Telethon.”

Virgin Australia is providing about 100 return regional and intercontinental flights to ensure celebrities and other Telethon crew arrive in Perth on time for the special event.

Among those attending are stars from Channel 7 programs Home and Away, Sunrise and Saturday Disney, as well as Reece Mastin, Tina Arena and Paulini.

With more than $133 million raised since its inception in 1968, Telethon has been financially assisting a significant number of charitable organisations, children’s hospitals and research/medical facilities in Western Australia for the past 45 years.

Telethon’s 26 hour run begins on Saturday, 19 October at 6:30 pm on Ch7 Perth and will be held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.