Comic Relief

CALL CONNECTION THROWS A LINE FOR COMIC RELIEF!

Volunteers from Call Connection in Ipswich are donating their services this Friday night to help staff the official donation line for Red Nose Day '09!

The team made up from staff, friends and family will be working as volunteers taking calls throughout the live TV extravaganza on BBC One, which will be hosted by some of the biggest names in TV, including Davina McCall and David Tennant.

As well as handling much needed calls on the night, volunteers will be showing their own support for Red Nose Day by Wearing Something Funny for Money. They are sponsored to wear ridiculous outfits and accessories for cash, auctioning off favours with a 'Donation Of Promises' auction, and gorging on home made food stalls which will be stocked up all day.

Over £67 million was raised for Red Nose Day '07', and this year Call Connection hopes to help Comic Relief raise even more when Red Nose Day hits screens across the country on March 13.

Graeme Kalbraier, Managing Director of Call Connection said:

"I'm really proud that our exceptional team here at Call Connection are a part of Red Nose Day and we will be contributing to an atmosphere that is truly incredible. This will be the fourth time we have supported Comic and Sport Relief, as it is something we feel passionate about, and we can't wait!"

"Millions of disadvantaged people across the UK and Africa are set to benefit from the nation's generosity, and managing these calls is crucial to making sure this money reaches those who need it most."

On the support from call centres, Jan Brown, Comic Relief's Campaign Logistics Officer, said:

Call Connection is one of a team of call centres helping us to manage these all important calls, and we'd like to say a massive thank you to all the staff that have given up their Friday night to be a part of it."

"Thanks to our brilliant volunteers and BT, Red Nose Day call centres will form a virtual network of a staggering 12,000 lines, which will really help us raise our total and change lives. "

The seven-hour TV bonanza was on Red Nose Day, Friday March 13, BBC One, from 7pm.

For more information on Red Nose Day 09 please contact The Media Team on 0207 840 2519.

Notes to editors

• Red Nose Day is coming on Friday 13 March 2009 and is going back to its roots, asking people to Do Something Funny for Money!
• Since its launch in 1985 Red Nose Day has raised over £424 million
• Comic Relief spends all the money raised giving extremely poor and disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa a helping hand to turn their lives around
• Comic Relief's vision is to create a just world, free from poverty
• Comic Relief, registered with the Charity Commission no. 326568 (England / Wales); SC039730 (Scotland)

The Comic Relief promise

In order to run itself in a professional and effective way Comic Relief incurs necessary significant costs. Raising funds, making grants and organisational overheads cost real money.

Despite these costs, Comic Relief is still able to promise that for every pound the charity gets directly from the public a pound goes to helping transform the lives of people living with poverty and social injustice. If Red Nose Day raises £50 million, Comic Relief will spend at least £50 million doing just that.

It can make this promise because its operating budget is covered in cash or in kind from all types of supporters like corporate sponsors and donors, suppliers, generous individuals and government (including Gift Aid) as well as from investment income and interest.