My grandson (10) is doing a 24-hour sponsored silence on Friday… he and a friend have got it all organized… their teacher is backing their effort… and so are friends and families.
Knowing what a little chatterbox he is… I’m not sure how long he will last… but it was his idea… a way to raise money for RNDay… and he is going to give it his very best shot… 
Yes I will be avoiding all the tearful, offensive platitudes from the usuai array of self-serving celebrities sent out to Africa to cradle poor children.
We don’t have red nose day. There is the téléthon in December…
I regret to say I find it stale and cliché-ridden now, and teachers ought not have to pressure children into this kind of footling activity on the grounds that it has the status of a Great British Tradition like dancing round the maypole or burning Guy Fawkes as a traitor.
My own children regarded it as an embarrassment, and picked that up from their teachers who ‘had to fall into corporate line’ laid down by the boss.
Peter… in my grandson’s case… this is all his own idea… he is that sort of chap… hears about something… investigates it in his own 10 year old way… and there you go…
similarly… at Christmas… he asked for no presents from us, but rather that we give to an animal charity that he had heard about…
Obviously, if some schools are “laying down the Law” that is a different case altogether…
but my grandson’s teacher is happy to support the boys in what she sees as a generous and difficult undertaking on their part… 
AHAHAHA! I also have a younger cousin that goes full-interested in anything like (read a blog like this at Finance Police). I loved that he’s caring about animals and most importantly, empathizes with the the environment.
Hi Jake… welcome to our Forum… 
Anything which makes the youngsters stop and think… about the world around them… rather than endless video games etc…
Anything which makes them aware that there are folk less well-off than they are…
Anything which makes the youngsters understand that they can do something (no matter how small) to help others …
I think that is great… and, by the sound of it, your younger cousin is to be congratulated… 
They did climb Kilimanjaro as well as spouting platitudes and cuddling children, but what the heck
Who did and what has that got to do with ‘Red Nose Day’ anyway?
To raise money for Comic Relief a group of celebrities climbed Kilimanjaro. It’s easily found on line
Its the only day of the year my nose looks normal. If it changes lives for the better then its good right?
Well that may be commendable but really has no bearing on the point that I felt I wanted to make.
I always think that children raising money is lovely. They’re not old and cynical like me. But they maybe in 20 years.
The auctions on radio 2 for children in need always annoy me because only the very wealthy can win the prizes and we all now it’s going to be set against their tax return as charitable giving.
I prefer my regular 3 standing orders for a modest amount each month and if someone rattles a can or I’m asked to sponsor a child then I’m happy to do so.
I won’t however sponsor thrill seekers jumping out of aeroplanes since I found out that the first £300 pays for the jump. Those people should do something really testing like clean public toilets for a week!
IMO it’s so important that the youngsters want to help others… and are able to do so, no matter how simply… they are the adults of the future… and the world needs all the caring folk it can get…
and, yes, seeing a “star” doing a very menial, basic task… that would make a very good impression… 
Exactly. My daughter in law always emphasises kindness as an important attribute for my grandson. One day I was telling him how smart and handsome he was and she said ‘ and he’s kind Granny, that’s very important.’
Young grandson has had a wonderful day… his friends assured his Mum that he had not said a word all day… and he came home with a cup full of coins from friends and staff…
He is feeling very good and already thinking about what he will do next year. He may turn into a teenage horror… but at the moment he is a treasure…
That’s some feat for a child. And for me if i tried it to be honest, I could never stop talking for a day.
Well done to your grandson
Half the money raised stays in UK and the other half goes around the world… 
I rather liked the kids who made their own red noses out of recycled stuff as they thought it wrong to encourage people to buy plastic noses… this rather shows how out of date red nose day is becoming?