Healthy Harold saved from funding cut after social media backlash

The federal government has quickly reversed a decision to cut all federal funding to the children's health education service Life Education after a social media backlash.

Life Education's Happy Healthy Harold has been saved from the chopping block. Source: Life Education

For a few dark hours on Tuesday it looked like Australian school children may have been deprived of the famous Healthy Harold.

Healthy Harold, the mascot of the children's health education service Life Education, has been known and loved by generations of school children.

It was revealed on Tuesday that the federal government had quietly decided not to fund the service past the end of its current three-year $600,000 grant, which is due to run out on July 1.

Life Education had applied for another $1.5 million to run the service for a further three years, but had been denied.

The government has been the sole funder of the service for the past three decades.

The revelation caused an instant outcry on social media, with the government coming in for criticism for cutting a much-loved and successful service.

But it seems Healthy Harold is safe after Education Minister Simon Birmingham tweeted on Tuesday night that the funding would be restored and the program would continue:

The details of any future funding arrangements are yet to be released.