Red Nose Day

Red Nose Day or Comic Relief was launched from a refugee camp in Sudan on Christmas Day in 1985 on BBC 1. At this time Ethiopia was suffering a crippling famine, something had to be done. That something was Comic Relief.

The idea was to get a whole bunch of comedians, put them on TV and get them to raise loads of money for people in desperate need.

The first ever Red Nose Day was in 1988 and raised a massive £15 million taking the nation by storm. Red Nose Days since then have raised huge amounts totalling nearly £460 million. All this money has helped, and is helping, to support millions of people in need- in Africa and here in the UK.

Red Nose Day this year is on the 18^th March, and has, once again, got lots of famous faces involved. This week will see Dermot O’Leary and Scott Mills trekking 100kms in 5 days across the Kaisut desert in Kenya. Some of the money raised from this really tough challenge will help save thousands of people suffering from tracoma; a simple £5 operation can give someone their sight back. Just £5 for someone to not to be blind- now that’s a bargain!

There will no doubt be something going on in your school so get involved and have fun while raising some money for an amazing cause.

Phoebe Year 8 Young Journalist

St Hugh’s school, Grantham.

Donate to the Red Nose Day appeal at

http://www.rednoseday.com/sponsor-donate