Now it's March and the time is almost upon us to don our red noses and go around being silly. Yes, that's right, it's almost Red Nose Day: the biennial charity event that raises money to help people in need in the UK and beyond, this year taking place on Friday 24th March. However, the amount of money raised has been decreasing since 2011, when £108 436 277 was raised, to only £99 418 831 in 2015. Therefore, I'm here to explain to you why and how you should help Red Nose Day keep raising money and maybe even make this year a record year.
Since Red Nose Day began in 1988, it has been helping people in the UK and Africa in all manner of ways. Last year, it was able to fund over 2000 projects in the UK, including one to give support to people suffering from mental health problems and one to help children in danger of abuse, and in Africa, it was able to vaccinate over 860 000 children and help them get access to an education. So go on! Go show your support and start wearing a red nose!
Okay, so maybe you aren't into walking around with a red smiley face stuck to your nose, but that doesn't mean you can't wear something to show your support. We have come a long way from the pinching plastic noses of the early 2000s and now we even have different designs of soft foam noses each year - including, this year, an ultra rare grey nose that looks like Frankenstein! - but it's totally understandable that you're fashion-conscious. Luckily, there are a few more Red Nose Day items you can wear, for example, pins or wrist bands.
And if you're still adamant that you won't be seen dead in a coloured schnoz or any other similar garment, then there are loads of other ways to get involved. By going to the Red Nose Day website, you can order a free fundraising kit for you and your friends and there are loads of ideas on there if you're stuck for some. Why not go for the tried-and-tested bake sale? Or go crazy and do a sponsored crochet on ice skates? There are so many fun things to do and it couldn't be easier to help raise money for charity.
Hannah Cowie, Kingston Grammar School
