There are almost countless awareness days in the UK and Internationally. Each of which is designed to bring attention to important health, social, environmental, and economic issues.
Dedicating a day, a week or even a whole month to a certain cause creates awareness around issues that may fall by the wayside otherwise.
Ultimately, marking awareness days develops a sense of empowerment and unity that brings people together to create a positive impact.
In this piece, we’ve collated a comprehensive list of awareness days and events you need to know about in the UK for 2024.
Whether you’re looking to beef up your social media game, create super relevant paid ad opportunities, empower your team or you’re wondering when Drink Wine Day is (February 18th, by the way), this piece is perfect for you!
Why Are Awareness Days Important?
Awareness days offer businesses a fantastic opportunity to connect their audiences and employees with causes that align with their values as a business.
Not only can this help you raise awareness for these causes, but also aid in your attempts to connect with your audiences.
With 72% of UK consumers now expecting businesses to speak out about societal issues, it’s now very important for businesses to step into the breach to help shine a light on problems in our communities.
Issues around racism, mental health, LGBT+ rights, the environment and poverty are no longer problems that businesses can ignore.
By keeping an eye on our calendar, you can plan ahead for the next twelve months so your business can help improve the lives of others.
January
Did you know…The first recorded reference to a “January sale” in the UK was way back in 1865?
| Jan 1st – 31st | – Veganuary – National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month – Dry January – Walk Your Dog Month – National Mentoring Month – Love Your Liver Month |
| Jan 3rd | – Festival of Sleep Day |
| Jan 4th | – World Braille Day – National Spaghetti Day |
| Jan 9th – 15th | – Houseplant Week UK |
| Jan 11th | – National Human Trafficking Awareness Day |
| Jan 14th | – STIQ Day |
| Jan 15th | – Martin Luther King Day – Blue Monday |
| Jan 15th – 21st | – Big Energy Saving Week |
| Jan 16th | – National Religious Freedom Day – Brew Monday – National Do Nothing Day |
| Jan 20th | – National Cheese Lovers Day |
| Jan 21st | – Race Against Dementia Day – National Hug Day – World Religion Day |
| Jan 23rd | – National Pie Day – National Reading Day |
| Jan 22nd – 28th | – Cervical Cancer Prevention Week |
| Jan 25th | – Burns Night – St Dwynwen’s Day |
| Jan 26th | – Australia Day – National Spouses Day |
| Jan 27th | – Holocaust Memorial Day |
| Jan 27th – Feb 4th | – National Storytelling Week |
February
Did you know…February is the only month that can pass without a full moon?
| Feb 1st – 29th | – LGBT History Month – Spay/Neuter Awareness Month – National Children’s Dental Health Month – Boost Your Self-Esteem Month – Heart Month USA – Black History Month USA |
| Feb 1st | – Dignity Action Day |
| Feb 2nd | – Time To Talk Day – Lung Leavin Day – World Wetlands Day – NSPCC Number Day – Wear Red Day |
| Feb 4th | – World Cancer Day |
| Feb 5th – 11th | – Children’s Mental Health Week – School’s Football Week – Tinnitus Awareness Week – National Apprenticeship Week – National HIV Testing Week – Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awarness Week |
| Feb 6th | – Safer Internet Day |
| Feb 7th | – Send A Card To A Friend Day |
| Feb 10-17th | – Chinese New Year |
| Feb 11th | – International Day of Women and Girls in Science |
| Feb 12-18th | – Student Volunteering Week – You Can Care Week |
| Feb 12th | – International Epilepsy Day |
| Feb 13th | – Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day |
| Feb 14th | – Valentines Day |
| Feb 15th | – Singles Awareness Day |
| Feb 16th | – Care Day |
| Feb 17th | – Random Act of Kindness Day |
| Feb 18th | – Drink Wine Day |
| Feb 20th | – National Love Your Pet Day |
| Feb 20th – 26th | – Cancer Prevention Action Week |
| Feb 22nd | – World Encephalitis Day – World Thinking Day |
| Feb 23rd | – Helplines Awareness Day |
| Feb 26th – March 3rd | – Eating Disorders Awareness Week – Cyber Scotland Week |
| Feb 27th – March 12th | – Fairtrade Fortnight |
| Feb 29th | – Rare Disease Day |
March
Did you know…Twitter was officially launched on March 21, 2006, with the first ever “tweet” going out the same day?
| March 1st – 31st | – Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal – National Nutrition Month – Brain Tumour Awareness Month – Deep-Vein Thrombosis Month – National Bed Month – Endometriosis Awareness Month – Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month – National Irish-American Heritage Month – Brain Injury Awareness Month – Walk All Over Cancer – Mustache March – National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month – National Save Your Vision Month |
| March 1st | – Self Injury/Harm Awareness Day – St David’s Day – Employee Appreciation Day |
| March 3rd | – World Hearing Day – Dyscalculia Awareness Day |
| March 3rd – 9th | – Endometriosis Awareness Week |
| March 4th | – International HPV Awareness Day (IHAD) – World Spa Day |
| March 4th – 10th | – No More Week – National Careers Week – British Pie Week – National Butchers Week |
| March 5th | – St Piran’s Day |
| March 6th | – National No Smoking Day |
| March 7th | – World Book Day |
| March 7th – 10th | – Crufts |
| March 8th | – International Women’s Day – Women In Tech SEO Festival |
| March 8th – 17th | – British Science Week |
| March 10th | – Mother’s Day UK – Ramadan |
| March 11th – 12th | – Retail Week Live |
| March 11th | – Commonwealth Day |
| March 11th – 17th | – Compost Week UK – Healthcare Science Week – Nutrition and Hydration Week |
| March 13th | – Young Carers Action Day |
| March 14th | – National Potato Chip Day – Dog Theft Awareness Day – University Mental Health Day – World Kidney Day – International School Meals Day |
| March 15th | – Comic Relief/Red Nose Day – World Sleep Day |
| March 15th – 24th | – English Tourism Week |
| March 15th – 31st | – The Great British Spring Clean |
| March 17th | – St Patrick’s Day |
| March 18th | – Global Recycling Day |
| March 18th – 24th | – Neurodiversity Celebration Week – Debt Awareness Week |
| March 20th | – Spring Equinox – World Oral Health Day – International Day of Happiness – National Native AIDS Awareness Day |
| March 20th – 24th | – Train It Chooseday |
| March 21st | – World Down Syndrome Day – International Day of Forests – National French Bread Day – World Poetry Day |
| March 22nd | – World Water Day |
| March 23rd | – National Day of Reflection |
| March 24th | – National Skipping Day – World TB Day |
| March 27th | – World Theatre Day |
| March 28th | – Maundy Thursday |
| March 29th | – Good Friday |
| March 30th | – World Bipolar Day |
| March 31st | – Easter Sunday – Daylight Savings Begin |
April
Did you know…April is named in honour of the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite?
| April 1st – 30th | – Parkinson’s Awareness Month – IBS Awareness Month – Jazz Appreciation Month – International Cesarean Awareness Month – Stress Awareness Month – Bowel Cancer Awareness Month – Move More Month – Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month – Active For April – National Pet Month |
| April 1st | – April Fool’s Day – Easter Monday |
| April 1st – 7th | – Community Garden Week |
| April 2nd | – World Autism Awareness Day – International Children’s Book Day |
| April 2nd-8th | – World Autism Acceptance Week |
| April 3rd – 9th | – Community Garden Week |
| April 5th | – Walk To Work Day |
| April 6th | – International Pillow Fight Day |
| April 7th | – World Health Day |
| April 10th – 16th | – World Homeopathy Awareness Week |
| April 11th | – World Parkinson’s Day |
| April 14th – 20th | – Parkinson’s Awareness Week |
| April 16th | – World Voice Day |
| April 17th – 23rd | – National Feet Week |
| April 19th | – National Early Years Teacher Week |
| April 21st | – National Tea Day |
| April 22nd | – International Mother Earth Day – Stephen Lawrence Day |
| April 22nd – 28th | – World PI Week – National Stop Snoring Week – Allergy Awareness Week – MS Awareness Week – Food Allergy Awareness Week |
| April 23rd | – St George’s Day – English Language Day – World Book Night |
| April 24th | – Stop Food Waste Day |
| April 24th – 30th | – World Immunisation Week |
| April 25th | – World Penguin Day – National DNA Day – World Malaria Day |
| April 25th – 26th | – BrightonSEO |
| April 25th – May 1st | – Bake For Dementia |
| April 26th | – World IP Day |
| April 29th | – International Dance Day |
| April 30th | – International Jazz Day |
May
Did you know…May is the only month of the year where the day of the week it starts and ends does not match any other month?
| May 1st – 31st | – Skin Cancer Awareness Month – May Measure Month – National Walking Month – National Teen Self Esteem Month – Local and Community History Month – National Share a Story Month – National Clean Air Month – Action on Stroke Month – Maternal Mental Health Month – Big Asthma Bake Sale |
| May 1st – 7th | – Sun Awareness Week – Deaf Awareness Week – National Gardening Week |
| May 1st | – World Maternal Mental Health Day |
| May 2nd | – National Day of Reason |
| May 4th | – Firefighters Memorial Day – Bird Day – Star Wars Day |
| May 5th | – International Day of the Midwife – International Dawn Chorus Day |
| May 6th | – Early May Bank Holiday |
| May 7th | – World Asthma Day |
| May 6th – 12th | – Red Cross Week – Dying Matters Week – Viral Meningitis Awareness Week |
| May 8th | – World Ovarian Cancer Day – V-E Day – World Red Cross Day – World Donkey Day – National Amyloidosis Day – National Receptionist’s Day |
| May 8th – 14th | – Food Allergy Awareness Week |
| May 9th | – Europe Day |
| May 9th – 15th | – Coeliac UK’s Awareness Week – ME Awareness Week |
| May 9th – 22nd | – Foster Care Fortnight |
| May 10th | – World Lupus Day |
| May 12th | – World Fibromyalgia Day – ME Awareness Day – International Nurses Day – National Limerick Day – National Children’s Day |
| May 13th – 19th | – Mental Health Awareness Week – Dementia Awareness – Water Saving Week |
| May 13th – June 13th | – National Smile Month |
| May 14th | – Garden Day – World Fairtrade Day |
| May 17th | – National Numeracy Day |
| May 18th | – World AIDS Vaccine Day – International Museums Day |
| May 20th – 24th | – Walk to School Week |
| May 20th – 26th | – National Vegetarian Week – World Salt Awareness Week – Action For Brain Injury Week |
| May 21st | – World Meditation Day |
| May 22nd – 28th | – National Epilepsy Week |
| May 23rd | – World Turtle Day |
| May 25th | – National Wine Day – International Missing Children’s Day – FA Cup Final |
| May 27th | – Spring Bank – Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling |
| May 27th – June 2nd | – National BBQ Week |
| May 28th | – World Hunger Day |
| May 29th | – National Biscuit Day – World Digestive Health Day – International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers |
| May 30th | – World MS Day – Hug Your Cat Day |
| May 31st | – World No Tobacco Day |
June
Did you know…Depending on where you are in the world, June has both the longest and shortest days of the year?
| June 1st – 30th | – SANDS Awareness Month – National Candy Month – Pride Month – Tourettes Awareness Month |
| June 1st – 7th | – Volunteers Week |
| June 1st | – World Milk Day – Global Day of Parents – National Fish and Chips Day |
| June 2nd | – National Leave The Office Early Day – Cancer Survivors Day |
| June 3rd | – National Egg Day |
| June 4th | – National Cheese Day |
| June 5th | – World Environment Day |
| June 6th – 12th | – Child Safety Week – Aromatherapy Awareness Week – Garden Wildlife Week |
| June 7th | – Tourettes Awareness Day |
| June 8th | – National Best Friends Day – King’s Birthday – World Oceans Day |
| June 9th | – UK Clothing Poverty Awareness Day |
| June 10th – 14th | – Healthy Eating Week |
| June 10th – 16th | – Carers Week – Diabetes Awareness Week |
| June 12th – 18th | – Loneliness Awareness Week – Men’s Health Week |
| June 14th | – World Blood Donor Day – International Surfing Day |
| June 14th – July 14th | – UEFA Euros 2024 |
| June 15th | – National Beer Day |
| June 16th | – World Refill Day – National Clean Air Day – Father’s Day |
| June 18th | – Autistic Pride Day – International Picnic Day |
| June 17th – 25th | – National Picnic Week |
| June 17th – 23rd | – Children’s Hospice Week – Cervical Screening Awareness Week – Refugee Week – National School Sport Week |
| June 18th – 25th | – Drowning Prevention Week |
| June 19th – 25th | – English Wine Week – World Continence Week |
| June 20th | – Summer Solstice |
| June 21st | – World Humanist Day – World Music Day – Global MND Awareness Day – National Indigenous Peoples Day – Reserves Day – Bring Your Dog to Work Day |
| June 21st – 27th | – Love Your Lungs Week |
| June 22nd | – Rare Chromosome Awareness Day – Windrush Day |
| June 23rd | – International Widows Day – Public Service Day – International Women in Engineering Day |
| June 26th – 30th | – World Wellbeing Week |
| June 26th – July 2rd | – Deafblind Awareness Week |
| June 29th | – Armed Forces Day |
| June 29th – July 19th | – Children’s Art Week |
July
Did you know…July was named after Julius Caesar?
| July 1st – 31st | – Sarcoma Awareness Month – National Picnic Month – Plastic Free July – Good Care Month – Independent Retailer Month – National Fishing Month – Group Strep B Support Awareness Month |
| July 1st – 14th | – Wimbledon |
| July 1st – 7th | – Clean Beaches Week |
| July 1st | – Canada Day |
| July 3rd – 9th | – Alcohol Awareness Week |
| July 4th | – Independence Day |
| July 6th | – International Kissing Day |
| July 7th | – World Chocolate Day – Thank You Day |
| July 15th | – Social Media Giving Day – St Swithins Day |
| July 17th | – World Day for International Justice – World Emoji Day |
| July 21st | – World Ice Cream Day |
| July 22nd – Aug 6th | – National Marine Week |
| July 24th | – 24/7 Samaritans Awareness Day/The Big Listen |
| July 24th – Aug 2nd | – Love Parks Week |
| July 25th | – National Schizophrenia Day – National Wine and Cheese Day |
| July 28th | – World Hepatitis Day |
| July 29th | – International Tiger Day |
| July 30th | – World Friendship Day |
August
Did you know…The first sandwich was allegedly made on August 6 1762?
| Aug 1st – 31st | – National Immunisation Month – National Road Victim Month – Psoriasis Awareness |
| Aug 1st – 7th | – World Breastfeeding Week |
| Aug 1st | – Cycle to Work Day |
| Aug 4th | – Coast Guard Day |
| Aug 5th | – National Oyster Day |
| Aug 8th | – International Cat Day |
| Aug 12th | – International Youth Day |
| Aug 12th – 18th | – Afternoon Tea Week – National Allotments Week |
| Aug 19th | – World Photo Day – World Humanitarian Day |
| Aug 26th | – National Dog Day – Summer Bank Holiday |
September
Did you know…The Great Fire of London began in September 1666?
| Sept 1st – 30th | – Sourdough September – Urology Awareness Month – Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – Secondhand September – World Alzheimer’s Month – Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month – Move More September – Organic September – Blood Cancer Awareness Month – Vascular Disease Awareness Month |
| Sept 1st – 7th | – Migraine Awareness Week |
| Sept 2nd | – National Cinema Day – Back to School |
| Sept 3rd | – Merchant Navy Day |
| Sept 5th | – International Day of Charity |
| Sept 6th – 15th | – Heritage Open Days |
| Sept 6th | – National Read a Book Day |
| Sept 8th | – National Literacy Day |
| Sept 9th | – Emergency Services Day |
| Sept 10th | – World Suicide Prevention Day |
| Sept 13th | – World Sepsis Day – Roald Dahl Story Day – National Doodle Day |
| Sept 15th | – World Lymphoma Day – International Day of Democracy |
| Sept 15th – 22nd | – National Eczema Week |
| Sept 16th – 22nd | – Orchid Male Cancer Awareness Week – Jeans for Genes Week – Recycle Week |
| Sept 17th | – Constitution Day |
| Sept 18th – 24th | – Adult Learners Week – National Coding Week – Organ Donation Week – National Eye Health Week |
| Sept 20th | – National Fitness Day |
| Sept 20th – 29th | – Great British Beach Clean |
| Sept 21st | – International Day of Peace – World Alzheimer’s Day |
| Sept 26th | – World Contraception Day – European Day of Languages |
| Sept 27th | – World Tourism Day |
| Sept 29th | – World Heart Day – World’s Biggest Coffee Morning – Thank You #hiddenheroes Day – National Police Memorial Day |
October
Did you know…Jack O’Laterns were originally carved from turnips?
| Oct 1st – 31st | – Go Sober for October – International Babywearing Week – Pituitary Awareness Month – The Big Draw – National Cholesterol Month – National Cybersecurity Awareness Month – International Walk to School Day – Black History Month – Breast Cancer Awareness Month – ADHD Awareness Month – Lupus Awareness Month – National Bullying Prevention Month |
| Oct 1st | – International Coffee Day – World Vegetarian Day |
| Oct 2nd – 8th | – Dyslexia Awareness Week |
| Oct 3rd | – Buy British Day – World Habitat Day |
| Oct 3rd-4th | – BrightonSEO |
| Oct 3rd-9th | – National Curry Week |
| Oct 4th | – World Animal Day – World Smile Day |
| Oct 4th – 10th | – World Space Week |
| Oct 5th | – World Teachers Day |
| Oct 6th | – Grandparents Day |
| Oct 7th | – Child Health Day |
| Oct 9th – 15th | – Dyspraxia Awareness Week – Baby Loss Awareness Week |
| Oct 10th | – World Mental Health Day |
| Oct 11th – 17th | – Sexual Health Week – National Braille Week |
| Oct 11th | – National Coming Out Day |
| Oct 12th | – World Hospice and Palliative Care Day – International Astronomy Day |
| Oct 14th – 20th | – National Baking Week |
| Oct 15th | – Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day – Global Wave of Light |
| Oct 16th | – World Food Day |
| Oct 16th – 22nd | – UK Coffee Week – National Chocolate Week – National Adoption Week |
| Oct 18th | – Anti Slavery Day – Wear It Pink |
| Oct 22nd | – National Cat Day |
| Oct 26th | – National Pumpkin Day |
| Oct 27th | – Daylight Savings Ends |
| Oct 29th | – RSPB Feed the Birds Day – World Stroke Day |
| Oct 31st | – Halloween |
November
Did you know…The first ever colour TV advert was broadcast in November in 1969 to promote Birds Eye peas?
| Nov 1st – 30th | – Veg Pledge – Mouth Cancer Action Month – Lung Cancer Awareness Month – Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month – Movember (Men’s Health Awareness Month) – National Career Development Month – National Family Caregivers Month – COPD Awareness Month |
| Nov 1st | – World Vegan Day – National Authors Day – National Brush Day – National Stress Awareness Day |
| Nov 2nd | – Day of the Dead |
| Nov 3rd | – National Sandwich Day |
| Nov 4th – 10th | – Children’s Book Week |
| Nov 5th | – Bonfire Night |
| Nov 5th – 9th | – International Stress Awareness Week |
| Nov 7th | – National Hug a Bear Day |
| Nov 8th | – International Radiology Day |
| Nov 9th | – Social Media Kindness Day |
| Nov 10th | – Remembrance Sunday |
| Nov 11th | – Armistice Day |
| Nov 11th – 17th | – Anti-bullying Week |
| Nov 13th | – Blue Wednesday – World Kindness Day |
| Nov 14th | – World Diabetes Day |
| Nov 18th – 24th | – Book Week Scotland |
| Nov 19th – 25th | – Road Safety Week |
| Nov 19th | – World Toilet Day – International Mens Day |
| Nov 19th-20th | – BrightonSEO San Diego |
| Nov 20th | – St Edmund’s Day – Universal Children’s Day |
| Nov 21st | – World Television Day – World Pancreatic Cancer Day |
| Nov 22nd | – Oceans of Plastic |
| Nov 23rd | – National Adoption Day |
| Nov 25th | – Black Friday – White Ribbon Day |
| Nov 25th – Dec 10th | – 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence 2024 |
| Nov 28th | – Thanksgiving |
| Nov 29th | – Black Friday |
| Nov 30th | – St Andrew’s Day – Cyber Monday |
December
Did you know…The very first Disney cartoon featuring Mickey Mouse was released in December 1901?
| Dec 1st – 31st | – Decembeard |
| Dec 2nd | – International Day for the Abolition of Slavery – Cyber Monday |
| Dec 2nd – 8th | – National Grief Awareness Week |
| Dec 3rd | – International Day of Persons With Disabilities |
| Dec 5th | – International Volunteers Day |
| Dec 7th | – Christmas Jumper Day |
| Dec 9th | – International Anti Corruption Day |
| Dec 10th | – Human Rights Day – International Animal Rights Day – National Lager Day |
| Dec 18th | – International Migrants Day |
| Dec 20th | – Festival of Winter Walks |
| Dec 25th | – Christmas Day |
| Dec 31st | – News Year Day – Hogmanay |
Takeaways
In conclusion, awareness days are a great way to connect with your target demographics and share the causes that you truly believe in as an organisation.
With consumers now expecting the brands they care about to shine a light on the issues we’re facing in society, it’s crucial that your business is showing that it can not only mark these important events, but also to make a positive impact to work towards a solution.
If you’d like to learn more about marketing for awareness days, or would like to know more about any of our other services, please get in touch with our team of experts.