Time to pop on your red nose and indulge in some fundraising nonsense!
WORDS: ALI HENDERSON
Suddenly it’s March! Spring is approaching and with it the wonderful Red Nose Day, when we all put on our crazy noses and do something silly to raise money for the charity Comic Relief.
Created in 1985 by Sir Lenny Henry along with writer and film director Richard Curtis, best known for Four Weddings And A Funeral and Love Actually, Comic Relief’s vision is of a just world, free from poverty, its aim being to drive positive change through the power of entertainment.
Curtis was appalled by a visit to Ethiopia during the 1985 famine and suggested that people might be more inclined to donate when prompted by comedians, who were probably more relatable than economists and politicians.
Red Nose Day, which began in 1988, is a fabulous day of fundraising. We are encouraged to buy a red nose, organise events and dig deep to donate. On that first occasion 30 million viewers tuned in to watch 150 celebrities and comedians joining to raise £15 million. There have been many Red Nose Days since then, the most successful being 2013, which raised £100.3 million.
Red Nose Day 2024 is Friday March 15, with the focus on supporting those in need during the current cost-of-living crisis.
It has never been more important to get involved. One billion children globally are now short on basics – essentials like food, clothing, water, shelter, education and healthcare. Those facing the toughest times of their lives can and will be lifted by the power of laughter.
Let’s make it a Red Nose Day to remember and show that having a laugh can actually make a world of difference!
Red Nose Mania!
The original red nose was a simple red ball. There have been loads of red nose make-overs since then. In 1995, red noses changed colour, going from red to yellow to pink. Later, 1997’s fluffy red noses were supported by the Spice Girls, who sold a whopping 700,000 copies of their single Who Do You Think You Are to raise funds.
Comic Relief vs The Arctic
For Red Nose Day 2024 an all-female group of celebrities are braving extreme, harsh and unpredictable conditions in Arctic Norway for a BBC One documentary.
Vicky Pattison, Sara Davies, Laura Whi
