ChangeStar has compiled this calendar of UK charity and health awareness days and fundraising events from a wide variety of sources. You won’t find it anywhere else!
**Update: The 2019 charity events calendar is here
And that’s why we had fantastic feedback on last year’s charity calendar – this ‘what’s on guide’ proved really useful for planning by charity staff including fundraising and events managers as well as businesses, schools and public sector organisations.
Scroll down to see the calendar below.
We trust that we’ve included the big events for your own charity. But if not, or there is an inaccuracy, don’t hesitate to tell us and we’ll be happy to put things right.
January
Launch of Unicef Day for Change 1 January 2016 Link to find out more
Dry January January 2016 Link to find out more
WaterAid Just Water Challenge 4 January 2016 Link to find out more
Big Schools’ Birdwatch 4 Jan – 12 Feb 2016 Link to find out more
National Obesity Awareness week 11-17 January 2016 http://www.jan-u-ary.co.uk/
Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 24-30 January 2016 Link to find out more
IOF Fundraising for Hospices Conference 25 January 2016 Link to find out more
Holocaust Memorial Day 27 January 2016 http://hmd.org.uk/page/about-hmd-and-hmdt
Young Carers Awareness Day 28 January 2016 https://www.carers.org/young-carers-awareness-day
Woolly Hat Day – St Mungo’s Broadway 29 January 2016 http://www.mungos.org/woollyhatday
World Leprosy Day 31 January 2016 https://www.lepra.org.uk/world-leprosy-day
February
World Cancer Day 4 February 2016 http://www.worldcancerday.co.uk/
British Heart Foundation Wear It. Beat It. 5 February 2016 https://wearitbeatit.bhf.org.uk/
National Doodle Day (Epilepsy Action) 5 February 2016 http://doodle-day.epilepsy.org.uk/
National Heart Month February 2016 Link to find out more
Go Green Week 8-13 February 2016 http://peopleandplanet.org/gogreenweek
Winston’s Wish Great British Brekkie 8-14 February 2016 http://www.greatbritishbrekkie.org.uk/
GOSH (Great Ormond Street) Bad Hair Day 12 February 2016 Link to find out more
CHASE Charities and Associations Event 16-17 February 2016 Link to find out more
Brighton Half Marathon 28 February 2016 http://www.brightonhalfmarathon.com/
Eating Disorders Awareness Week 22 -28 February 2016 Link to find out more
World Thinking Day (Girl Guides & Scouts) 22 February 2016 http://www.girlguiding.org.uk
International Rare Disease Day 29 February 2016 http://www.rarediseaseday.org/
NCVO Funding Conference, London 29 February 2016 Link to find out more
Charity Commission Public Meeting, Southampton 29 February 2016 Link to find out more
Fairtrade Fortnight 29 Feb – 13 March 2016 http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/fortnight
March
Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal March 2016 Link to find out more
Self Injury Awareness Day 1 March 2016 http://www.lifesigns.org.uk/siad/
IOF The Happy Fundraiser Event 2 March 2016 Link to find out more
World Book Day 3 March 2016 http://www.bookaid.org/get-involved/world-book-day/
Free Wills Month March 2016 http://freewillsmonth.org.uk/
Care International ‘Walk in Her Shoes’, London 6 March 2016 Link to find out more
International Women’s Day 8 March 2016 Link to find out more
Endometriosis Awareness Week 3-9 March 2016 https://www.endometriosis-uk.org/
Children’s Liver Disease Foundation: Big Yellow Friday 4 March 2016 http://www.bigyellowfriday.org/
No Smoking Day 9 March 2016 https://nosmokingday.org.uk
The Big London Night Walk (Big Issue Foundation) 11 March 2016 Link to find out more
Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon 13 March 2016 https://www.adidashalfmarathon.com/
Bath Half Marathon 13 March 2016 http://bathhalf.co.uk/entries/
Schools’ Autism Awareness Week 14-18 March 2016 Link to find out more
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month March 2016 http://ovarian.org.uk/
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month March 2016 http://www.prostatecanceruk.org
Comic Relief Red Nose Day Next will be March 2017 http://www.comicrelief.com/rednoseday
Sport Relief 18-20 March 2016 http://www.comicrelief.com/sportrelief
National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness 18 March 2016 http://www.nwgnetwork.org/
Vitality Reading Half Marathon 20 March 2016 http://www.readinghalfmarathon.com
World Down Syndrome Day 21 March 2016 Link to find out more
Action for Children: The Giant Wiggle 21 – 27 March 2016 Link to find out more
World Water Day 22 March 2016 http://www.wateraid.org/uk/get-involved/blue4water
Wear a Hat Day – Brain Tumour Research 24 March 2016 Link to find out more
Good Friday Bank Holiday 25 March 2016 https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays
Epilepsy Awareness ‘Purple Day’ 26 March 2016 http://epilepsy.org.uk/purple/
Easter Monday Bank Holiday 28 March 2016 https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays
April
Bowel Cancer Awareness Month April 2016 http://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/
Epic Awards for voluntary and amateur arts, Cardiff 2 April 2016 http://epicawards.co.uk/
Paris Marathon 3 April 2016 http://www.schneiderelectricparismarathon.com/us/
Fundraising Ireland National Conference, Dublin 7-8 April 2016 http://finfc2016.wix.com/finfc2016
Wolf Run 9 April 2016 Link to find out more
RHS National Gardening Week 11-17 April 2016 http://www.nationalgardeningweek.org.uk/
National Pet Month April 2016 http://www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk/
Male Cancer Awareness Week (Orchid) 11-24 April 2016 Link to find out more
Dalai Lama Trek 14 – 24 April 2016 Link to find out more
Bloodwise Newcastle Zip Slide 16-17 April 2016 Link to find out more
Brighton Marathon 17 April 2016 http://www.brightonmarathon.co.uk/
Parkinsons Awareness Week 18 April -24 April 2016 Link to find out more
NCVO Annual Conference, London 18 April 2016 Link to find out more
Earth Day 22 April 2016 http://www.earthday.org
Virgin Money London Marathon 24 April 2016 Link to find out more
Glasgow Kilt Walk 24 April 2016 https://theglasgowkiltwalk2016.eventdesq.com/
World Malaria Day 25 April 2016 https://www.malarianomore.org.uk/
Depression Awareness Week Date tbc April 2016 http://www.depressionalliance.org/
Allergy Awareness Week 25 April -1 May 2016 https://www.allergyuk.org/
Charity Content Marketing Conference 28 April 2016 Link to find out more
Oxfam Dressed by the Kids Day 29 April 2016 Link to find out more
May
Early May Bank Holiday 2 May 2016 https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays
Prader Willi Awareness Month May 2016 http://www.pwsa.co.uk/
Belfast City Marathon 2 May 2016 http://www.belfastcitymarathon.com/about
Deaf Awareness Week 2-8 May 2016 http://deafcouncil.org.uk/deaf-awareness-week
International Day of Midwives 5 May 2016 http://www.rcm.org.uk
World Pulmonary Hypertension Day 5 May 2016 http://www.phassociation.uk.com/
Voluntary Arts Week 6-15 May 2016 http://voluntaryartsweek.org/
Humber Big Bounce 8 May 2016 Link to find out more
Bloodwise Aberdeen Fun Walk 8 May 2016 Link to find out more
CIND Awareness Day 12 May 2016 http://www.may12th.org
Dying Matters Awareness Week 9-15 May 2016 http://www.dyingmatters.org/YODO
Action for Brain Injury Week 9-15 May 2016 Link to find out more
The Moonwalk London 14 May 2016 Link to find out more
Bloodwise Impact South West 14 May 2106 Link to find out more
Dementia Awareness Week 15-21 May 2016 https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/remembertheperson
Mental Health Awareness Week 16-22 May 2016 Link to find out more
National Epilepsy Week 18-24 May 2016 http://www.epilepsy.org.uk
Nordoff Robbins ‘Get Loud’ Awareness Day 18 May 2016 http://www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk
Give & Gain Day (Employee Volunteering) 20 May 2016 Link to find out more
Macmillan Adrenaline Rush London 21 May 2016 Link to find out more
RSPB Scotland’s Big Nature Festival 21-22 May 2016 http://scottishbirdfair.org.uk/
Velothon Wales 22 May 2016 Link to find out more
CLIC Sargent ‘Wig Wednesday’ 25 May 2016 Click to find out more
World MS Day 25 May 2016 http://www.worldmsday.org/
NSPCC Big Board Game Day 27 May 2016 Link to find out more
Wear it Wild for WWF 27 May 2016 Link to find out more
Women V Cancer Ride the Night 28 May 2016 Link to find out more
Put the Kettle on for ARC (Antenatal Results & Choices) 28-30 May 2016 www.putthekettleonforarc.org.uk
Birmingham Pride 28-29 May 2016 http://www.birminghampride.com/
Edinburgh Marathon Festival 28-29 May 2016 http://www.edinburghmarathon.com/
Bupa London 10,000 30 May 2016 https://www.london10000.co.uk/
Spring Bank Holiday 30 May 2016 https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays
June
Volunteers’ Week 1-12 June 2016 http://volunteersweek.org/
RSPCA Week 1-7 June 2016 http://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/rspcaweek
TrekFest, Brecon Beacons 4-5 June 2016 http://www.trekfest.org.uk/
World Environment Day 5 June 2016 http://www.unep.org/wed/activities/
World Oceans Day 8 June 2016 http://www.worldoceansday.org/
‘Get Loud’ for Nordoff Robbins 8 June 2016 Click to find out more
Carers Week 6-12 June 2016 http://www.carersweek.org
Child Safety Week 6-12 June 2016 http://www.childsafetyweek.org.uk/about/
The Moon Walk Scotland 11 June 2016 Link to find out more
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust ‘Steps for Jo’ Walk & Run, Manchester 11 June 2016 Link to find out more
Diabetes Week 12-18 June 2016 Click to find out more
Breathe Easy Week (British Lung Foundation) 13-19 June 2016 Click to find out more
Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Week 13-19 June 2016 Click to find out more
World Blood Donor Day 14 June 2016 http://www.blood.co.uk/
Loud Shirt Day (Auditory Verbal UK) 17 June 2016 http://www.avuk.org
The Autism Show, London 17-18 June 2016 http://autismshow.co.uk/
Autistic Pride Day 18 June 2016 http://www.autism.org.uk/
BHF London-Brighton Bike Ride 19 June 2016 Link to find out more
World Refugee Day 20 June 2016 http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/
Learning Disability Week 20-26 June 2016 Link to find out more
Glastonbury Festival 22–26 June 2016 http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/
Summer Lights for Macmillan 25 June 2016 https://summerlights.org.uk/what-is-summer-lights/
Macmillan Adrenaline Rush Leeds 25 June 2016 http://www.theadrenalinerush.com/venues/leeds
Capital to Coast London-Brighton Bike Ride 26 June 2016 https://capitaltocoast.org.uk/pages/
Wrong Trousers Day 24 June 2016 Click to find out more
Motor Neurone Disease Awareness Month June 2016 Link to find out more
Wildlife Trusts 30 Days Wild June 2016 http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/30DaysWild
July
Leonard Cheshire Disability ‘Give & Bake’ July 2016 Link to find out more
National Fundraising Convention 4-6 July 2016 Link to find out more
Disability Awareness Day 10 July 2016 http://www.disabilityawarenessday.org.uk/
British 10k London Run 10 July 2016 http://www.thebritish10klondon.co.uk/
Sea Sunday 10 July 2016 http://www.apostleshipofthesea.org.uk/sea-sunday
Bloodwise Leeds 10k 10 July 2016 https://bloodwise.org.uk/event-challenges/run/north/leeds-10k
World Population Day 11 July 2016 http://www.unfpa.org/
Iron Man UK 17 July 2016 Link to find out more
Changing Places Awareness Day 19 July 2016 Link to find out more
London to Paris Cycle Tour de France edition 20-24 July 2016 Link to find out more
Oxfam Trailwalker (South Downs) 22-24 July 2016 http://www.oxfam.org.uk/Trailwalker
24/7 Samaritans Awareness Day 24 July 2016 http://www.samaritans.org/
World Hepatitis Day 28 July 2016 http://worldhepatitisday.org/
Race for Life Various July 2016 http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/index.html
Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 31 July 2016 Link to find out more
August
Brighton Pride 5-7 August 2016 http://www.brighton-pride.org/
Macmillan Adrenaline Rush Manchester 6 August 2016 Link to find out more
Severe ME Understanding & Remembrance Day 8 August 2016 Link to find out more
The Mudnificent Seven, Coventry 13 August 2016 Link to find out more
World Humanitarian Day 19 August 2016 Link to find out more
Parkinsons South Coast Challenge 27-28 August 2016 Link to find out more
Summer Bank Holiday 29 August 2016 https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays
September
Paws to Beat Blood Cancer 4 September 2016 Link to find out more
International Day of Charity 5 September 2016 http://www.un.org/en/events/charityday/
Blood Cancer Awareness Month September 2016 www.bloodwise.org.uk
NCVO Research Conference, Nottingham 8-9 September 2016 Link to find out more
Hadrian’s Wall Trek 9-11 September 2016 Link to find out more
World Suicide Prevention Day 10 September 2016 www.samaritans.org
Walk The Walk Thames Path Challenge 10-11 September 2016 Link to find out more
Great North Run 11 September 2016 http://www.greatrun.org/great-north-run
Brighton and Hove Triathlon 11 September 2016 Link to find out more
Remember a Charity in your Will Week 12-18 September 2016 Link to find out more
National Dementia Carer’s Day Date tbc September 2016 http://www.alzheimers.org.uk
Lymphatic Cancer Awareness Week Date tbc September 2016 http://www.lymphomas.org.uk/
Sexual Health Week (FPA) 12-18 September 2016 Link to find out more
Recycle Week 12-18 September 2016 Click to find out more
Bloodwise Big Welsh Car Show 18 September 2016 www.bloodwise.org.uk/carshow
AWSELVA Animal Welfare Conference 19-21 September 2016 Link to find out more
Meningitis Awareness Week 19–25 September 2016 tbc http://www.meningitis.org/
Jeans for Genes Day Date tbc September 2016 http://www.jeansforgenesday.org/
World Alzheimer’s Day 21 September 2016 https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
British Hen Welfare Day 23 September 2016 http://www.bhwt.org.uk/
Swim Serpentine, London 24-25 September 2016 https://www.swimserpentine.co.uk/
Know Your Numbers! Week (Blood pressure) 12-18 September 2016 http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/
National Eye Health Week Date tbc September 2016 http://www.rnib.org.uk/
Waste less, Live more Week 19-25 September 2016 http://www.wastelesslivemore.com
Baxters Loch Ness Marathon 25 September 2016 Link to find out more
World Heart Day 29 September 2016 www.bhf.org.uk
Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning 30 September 2016 http://coffee.macmillan.org.uk/
Urology Awareness Month September 2016 http://www.theurologyfoundation.org/
Northern Ireland Stroke Awareness September 2016 http://nichs.org.uk/
October
Royal British Legion Industries #BeBraveWithMe 1 October 2016 Link to find out more
Cardiff Half Marathon 2 October 2016 Link to find out more
United Nations World Habitat Day 3 October 2016 http://urbanoctober.org/index_1.asp?pcd=2
Back Care Awareness Week 3-8 October 2016 http://www.backcare.org.uk/
World Animal Day 4 October 2016 http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/
Kidscape ‘Friendship Friday’ 7 October 2016 Click to find out more
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 8 October 2016 http://www.hospiceuk.org/
Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon 9 October 2016 https://royalparkshalf.com/
London Bridges Challenge 9 October 2016 Link to find out more
Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon 9 October 2016 Link to find out more
World Mental Health Day 10 October 2016 http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
World Sight Day 13 October 2016 http://www.sightsavers.org.uk
Red, White & Blue Day (Services charities) 14 October 2016 http://www.redwhiteblueday.co.uk/
World Arthritis Day 12 October 2016 https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/
Wear it Pink Day 21 October 2016 Link to find out more
Channel 4 ‘Stand Up To Cancer’ 21 October 2016 https://www.standuptocancer.org.uk/
Make a Difference Day (volunteering) 22 October 2016 www.csv.org.uk
National Adoption Week 17-23 October 2016 Link to find out more
Breast Cancer Awareness Month October 2016 http://breastcancernow.org/
Department of Health Stoptober October 2016 http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/stoptober
ADHD Awareness Month October 2016 http://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/
Oxjam (Oxfam music events) October 2016 http://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxjam
November
IOF Legacy Fundraising Conference 7 November 2016 Link to find out more
Wrap Up London 7-18 November 2016 Link to find out more
Trustees’ Week 7-13 November 2016 http://trusteesweek.org
Youth Work Week 7-13 November 2016 Link to find out more
BBC Children in Need 18 November 2016 Link to find out more
World Diabetes Day 14 November 2016 http://www.diabetes.org.uk
World Prematurity Day 17 November 2016 http://www.bliss.org.uk/world-prematurity-day-2016
Movember (Men’s Health Awareness Month) November 2016 https://uk.movember.com
Lung Cancer Awareness Month November 2016 https://www.blf.org.uk/Home
National Bullying Prevention Month November 2016 http://www.antibullyingweek.co.uk
IOF Individual Giving Conference 21 November 2016 Link to find out more
Road Safety Week 21-27 November 2016 http://www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk
#IWillweek (Social Action) 21-25 November 2016 Link to find out more
QEF Annual Guinness and Oyster Luncheon 24 November 2016 Link to find out more
Macmillan Borneo Hiking Challenge 19-27 November 2016 Link to find out more
Giving Tuesday 29 November 2016 http://www.givingtuesday.org.uk
The Big Give 29 November-2 December 2016 https://www.thebiggive.org.uk
December
World Aids Day 1 December 2016 http://stopaids.org.uk/
International Day of Persons with Disabilities 3 December 2016 Link to find out more
UK Charity Week 5-11 December 2016 http://www.charitytoday.co.uk/ukcharityweek/
Human Rights Day 10 December 2016 https://www.amnesty.org.uk/
Local Charities Day 16 December 2016 Link to find out more
Decembeard December 2016 http://decembearduk.org/
We have also produced a 2016 charity calendar for Ireland and Northern Ireland here
© ChangeStar, 26th October 2016. The content from this page may not be copied or distributed without our permission.
FEEDBACK
Any feedback on this calendar, please send to Kate at: kate@changestar.co.uk. Thank you.
We have used a UK URL for further information wherever possible. Some events are related to several organisations, and hope our selection of a URL is fair.
Who compiled this Charity What’s On Calendar 2016?
ChangeStar is a social change agency helping good causes connect with people to do good things – including giving money, campaigning, volunteering and changing their behaviour.
We partner with our clients in fundraising, campaigning, communications, data, consulting and research – across all media channels. We love to help clients pull all these disciplines together to provide a unified, integrated approach to supporter communications. See our work here.
We do this so that the causes we care about can create a more sustainable, fair and enlightened world.
We hope that this UK charity diary will help publicise fundraising events, thereby raising money for great causes.
Call us to discuss your voluntary sector communications brief on 01273 964018. Email us kate@changestar.co.uk
We’d also love your following on Twitter at @changestartweet
