This guest blog post was written by our friends at Comic Relief
Launched back in 1985, Comic Relief is celebrating 40 years of using the power of laughter to change lives. In that time, the British public has raised an astonishing £1.6 billion to support over 100 million people across the world and here in the UK. This money has supported projects that help children to be happier, families stronger, women safer, communities prouder, and millions of lives fairer.
Ahead of Red Nose Day on Friday 21 March, Claire Marmion, Comic Relief’s Senior Schools Youth and Fundraising Manager, reflects on the benefits of getting involved in charity fundraising. Why, as school governors, should we make sure it’s on our school’s agenda?
The importance of fundraising
At Comic Relief, we are constantly astonished by, and hugely grateful for, the energy and effort that schools put into Red Nose Day each year. Clearly, their main motivation is altruistic – raising money for others. However, as our conversations with teachers and pupils over the years have shown, the rewards of fundraising activities can be far-reaching.
For any school that wants to create an ethos with relationships and community at its heart, fundraising events like Red Nose Day are invaluable. Finding out about the diverse lives of people helped by charities develops pupils’ empathy and understanding. Taking part in fundraising activities enables them to make a tangible contribution to addressing injustice and bringing about social change as active citizens.
The sense of agency this engenders is hugely empowering for children and young people. By raising money, pupils gain confidence and self-esteem, and start to believe they can make a difference. Many schools also make the most of opportunities for school councils to take the lead on campaigning – seeing fundraising ideas through to fruition involves determination, planning, negotiation and hard work, all qualities that translate positively into learning and life. Building on this, organisations like Comic Relief also provide curriculum-linked learning resources to support subjects such as English, maths, PSHE, geography and PE.
Fundraising in schools
But perhaps most important is the engagement and sheer enjoyment that come from taking part in fundraising activities. One of the first things Daniel Woodrow did when he became Headteacher at St. Gregory CEVC Primary School in Sudbury, Suffolk was initiate a week of Red Nose Day fun. As he explains, the benefits were immense:
It brought us closer together as staff and helped us prioritise what was really important and what sort of school we wanted to be. It gave the children a voice and strengthened their confidence, self-esteem and sense of pride. This week forged links with the local community, it inspired more creative ways to help others and, in the end, it just gave us all permission to be a bit silly and have some fun, which is never a bad thing!
If anyone ever asks what I think had the biggest impact on how I was able to introduce myself, my vision and my values to the whole school community, I always say it was Comic Relief.
The school governor connection
So, what are the implications for school governors?
By advocating for fundraising initiatives, you will be encouraging your school to prioritise something that makes a difference far beyond supporting a charity.
From a strategic perspective, taking part in fundraising is a powerful, visible way for schools to demonstrate their values around care, compassion and community. Involving a wide range of stakeholders in activities – in particular parents and carers – can be a great way to strengthen connections and support for the school.
But perhaps most importantly, taking part in fundraising activities can have a real impact on pupils as individuals, learners and citizens. Confidence, self-belief, leadership skills, empathy, engagement, understanding of the world, enjoyment… All have been reported as benefits of pupils taking part in Red Nose Day.
At a time when so many schools and families are facing multiple challenges, charity fundraising may seem like a pressure too far. However, by reminding the leadership team of its strategic benefits – and the sheer joy of injecting some fun into school life – you will be doing something good for everyone.
If you want to get your school involved with Red Nose Day 2025, you can register here.