ChangeStar are pleased to launch the 2016 diary of dates for the voluntary sector in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

You won’t find it anywhere else – we’ve compiled the May-onwards calendar below of charity and health awareness days and fundraising events from a wide variety of sources.

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.

May

Great Limerick Run   1 May 2016    http://www.greatlimerickrun.com/
Greene Farm Charity Sportive    1 May 2016    http://www.sightsavers.ie/charity-sportive/
Belfast City Marathon    2 May 2016    http://www.belfastcitymarathon.com/about
Bank Holiday for Northern Ireland & ROI    2 May 2016     https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/bank-holidays
Dóchas Annual Conference    5 May 2016   http://dochas.ie/irish-summit-on-sustainable-development-goals
Irish Heart Foundation ‘Happy Heart’ Appeal     5-6 May 2016   Link to find out more
Gorta ‘Strictly for Africa’     7 May 2016   https://selfhelpafrica.org/ie/strictly/
Friends of St Lukes 100K Charity Sportive  8 May 2016  https://www.iregister.ie/v2/events/charity-sportive/
Belfast Abseil   8 May 2016   Link to find out more
Walk the Camino With Teen-Line      14-21 May 2016   http://teenline.ie/the-camino/
Ireland’s Coast to Coast Cycle Sportive   14-15 May 2016   Link to find out more
Down Syndrome Galway Inishbofin Half Marathon 14 May 2016  http://downsyndromegalway.ie/news-events/
River Moy Half Marathon   14 May 2016   http://www.sightsavers.ie/how-you-can-help/fundraising/
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People Belfast Dog Walk     14 May 2016   Link to find out more
Age Action Walking Challenge Sardinia  15-22 May 2016   https://www.ageaction.ie/how-you-can-help/fundraise/events
An Taisce ‘History of Dublin Bay’ Talk   17 May 2016    http://www.antaisce.org/events/history-of-dublin-bay
Climb 4 Concern   21-22 May 2016   Link to find out more
Sky Dive for MS Ireland    22 May 2016   http://www.ms-society.ie/events/9082
One World Run Belfast  22 May 2016   https://www.oxfamireland.org/getinvolved/upcoming-events
World MS Day    25 May 2016    http://www.ms-society.ie
Oxfam Dublin Midnight Run   27 May 2016    https://www.oxfamireland.org/getinvolved/upcoming-events
Disability Action NI Golf Day    27 May 2016     Link to find out more
Gorta Croagh Patrick Climb   28 May 2016   https://selfhelpafrica.org/ie/croak-patrick-2016/
Peter McVerry Trust ‘The Long Walk Home’    28 May 2016   Link to find out more
Aware NI Malin to Mizen Cycle Challenge   28 May-4 June 2016    Link to find out more
Belfast Race for Life     29 May 2016   http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/choose-your-event/belfast.html
First Light ‘Mile in Memory’   Date tbc May 2016   http://firstlight.ie/mile-in-memory/
Bank Holiday for Northern Ireland   30 May 2016   https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/bank-holidays

June

Cancer Focus NI Skydive for Men’s Health   1 June 2016   Link to find out more
Volunteers’ Week  1-7 June 2016    http://www.volunteer.ie/events/national-volunteering-week
World Environment Day   5 June 2016   http://www.unep.org/wed/activities/
VHI Women’s Mini Marathon    6 June 2016  Link to find out more
Cork City Marathon   6 June 2016   http://www.corkcitymarathon.ie/
Public Holiday for ROI    6 June 2016    http://publicholidays.eu/ireland/
World Oceans Day    8 June 2016    http://www.worldoceansday.org/
Don Bosco Care Golf Classic Fun Day   10 June 2016     http://www.donboscocare.ie/#!annual-golf-day/esocx
Moylagh JFK 50 Mile Challenge   11 June 2016     Link to find out more
Carers Week   6-12 June 2016     http://www.carersweek.org
Plan Ireland Sea Stack Challenge   11-12 June 2016     http://www.plan.ie/get-involved/join-treks-challenges/
Learning Disability Week    13-19 June 2016 tbc  https://www.mencap.org.uk
World Blood Donor Day   14 June 2016   https://www.giveblood.ie/
World Refugee Day    20 June 2016    http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/
Drink Tea for MND!    21 June 2016    http://imnda.ie/drink-tea-for-mnd-2/
Cats Protection Belfast Open Day   25 June 2016  Link to find out more
Children in Crossfire ‘Hard as Oak’    25 June 2016  Link to find out more
Diabetes Week    12-18 June 2016    https://www.diabetes.ie
Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Conference   23 June 2016    Link to find out more
Volunteer Ireland Training: Strategy    30 June 2016    Link to find out more

July

Cancer Focus NI Three Peaks Challenge    1 July 2016   Link to find out more
Oxfam Ireland Summer Malahide Castle 10km   3 July 2016     Link to find out more
Cancer Focus NI ‘Up the Lagan in a Bubble’   9 July 2016    Link to find out more
Dublin Tough Mudder    9 July 2016    https://toughmudder.ie/events/tough-mudder-ireland-july-9-10-2016
Disability Awareness Day    10 July  2016    http://www.disabilityawarenessday.org.uk/
World Population Day  11 July  2016    http://www.unfpa.org/
Bank Holiday for Northern Ireland     12 July 2016     https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/bank-holidays
Oxfam Ireland Donadea Forest Duathlon 23 July 2016    Link to find out more
Newry and Mourne Women’s Mini Marathon    24 July 2016   Link to find out more

August

Public Holiday for ROI    1 August 2016    http://publicholidays.eu/ireland/
Marie Keating Foundation ‘Tour of Kildare’   7 August 2016    Link to find out more
Irish Cancer Society Relay for Life, Kildare    13-14 August 2016    Link to find out more
Dublin IronMan Triathlon  14 August 2016    http://www.focusireland.ie/fundraising/events/ironman
World Humanitarian Day    19 August 2016    Link to find out more
Rathlin Run     27 August 2016   http://www.belfastactivitycentre.com/activities/19/
Achill Back to Back, County Mayo    27 August 2016   https://www.oxfamireland.org/getinvolved/upcoming-events
Breast Cancer Ireland Great Pink Run    27 August 2016     Link to find out more
Bank Holiday for Northern Ireland   29 August 2016    https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/bank-holidays
Cancer Fund for Children: Slieve Donard   28 August 2016   Link to find out more

September

GOAL Corporate Cycle, County Wicklow   3 September 2016  Link to find out more
Dingle Marathon    3 September 2016   http://www.dinglemarathon.ie/
Camino de Santiago in aid of CRY Ireland    3-10 September 2016  Link to find out more
International Day of Charity    5 September 2016   http://www.un.org/en/events/charityday/
NICHS Step Up Trek   9 September 2016    http://nichs.org.uk/support-us/challenge-events/step-up-trek/
Trad for Trócaire (music festival)   Various September 2016      http://www.trocaire.org/getinvolved/trad
World Suicide Prevention Day    10 September 2016     Link to find out more
National Dementia Carer’s Day   Date tbc September 2016    http://www.alzheimer.ie
Sexual Health Week (FPA)   12-18 September 2016     https://www.ifpa.ie
Killarney Women’s Mini Marathon   19 September 2016     https://www.oxfamireland.org/getinvolved/upcoming-events
World Alzheimer’s Day  21 September 2016   http://www.alzheimer.ie
Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning   30 September 2016   Link to find out more
Cats Protection’s Belfast ‘The Feline Feast’   24 September 2016   http://www.belfast.cats.org.uk/
World Heart Day    29 September 2016     http://www.irishheart.ie/iopen24/
Northern Ireland Stroke Awareness   September 2016    http://nichs.org.uk/
Irish Cancer Society Relay for Life   26-27 August 2016   Link to find out more

October

United Nations World Habitat Day   3 October 2016    http://urbanoctober.org/index_1.asp?pcd=2
World Animal Day    4 October 2016  http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/
World Sight Day   13 October 2016   http://www.sightsavers.ie/
GOAL Jersey Day   14 October 2016  https://www.goalglobal.org/events/event/jersey-day
First Light Annual Family Weekend    Date tbc October 2016   http://firstlight.ie/annual-firstlight-events/
Plan Ireland Trek Nepal      22 October – 1 November     http://www.plan.ie/get-involved/join-treks-challenges/
Best Will Week   Date tbc October 2016   https://www.ageaction.ie/how-you-can-help/fundraising/best-will-week
World Mental Health Day    Date tbc October 2016      http://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day  Date tbc October 2016    http://hospicefoundation.ie/
World Arthritis Day   Date tbc October 2016    https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/
Breast Cancer Awareness Month   October 2016     http://www.breastcancerireland.com/
Department of Health Stoptober      October 2016      http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/stoptober
ADHD Awareness Month   October 2016    http://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/
Dublin Marathon   30 October 2016   http://sseairtricitydublinmarathon.ie/
Limerick Women’s Mini Marathon   30 October 2016    https://www.oxfamireland.org/getinvolved/upcoming-events
Public Holiday for ROI     31 October 2016     http://publicholidays.eu/ireland/

November

Hope Foundation Himalayan Walk    5-20 November 2016    Link to find out more
BBC Children in Need   11 November 2016   Link to find out more
World Prematurity Day   17 November 2016      http://tinylife.org.uk/
Plan Ireland Great Ethiopian Run    22 November 2016     http://www.plan.ie/the-great-ethiopian-run/
Volunteer Ireland training: New Trends   24 November 2016     Link to find out more
Movember (Men’s Health Awareness Month)    November 2016    https://uk.movember.com/
Lung Cancer Awareness Month  November 2016   Link to find out more
IHF Roscommon Big Heart Fight Night    Date tbc November 2016     Link to find out more
Concern Worldwide Fast   Date tbc November 2016    https://www.concern.net/en/get-involved-0

December

World Aids Day    1 December 2016    http://stopaids.org.uk/
International Day of Persons with Disabilities    3 December 2016    http://www.un.org/en/events/disabilitiesday/
Human Rights Day    10 December 2016    https://www.amnesty.ie/
Text Santa   16 December 2016   http://www.itv.com/textsanta
GOAL Mile  25-26 December 2016  https://www.goalglobal.org/events/event/goal-mile
Decembeard     December 2016   http://decembearduk.org/
Volunteer Ireland training: Policies    15 December 2016    Link to find out more

For the UK version of this calendar, please go to www.changestar.co.uk/whats-on-in-the-charity-world-2016/

Feedback

Any feedback on this calendar, or if you’d like to add a listing for free, please send to kate@changestar.co.uk. Thank you.
Some events are related to several organisations, and our selection of a URL is not an endorsement.

We’ve had fantastic feedback on our calendars before – 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.
© ChangeStar, 22nd March 2016

Who compiled this Charity What’s On Calendar 2016?

ChangeStar is a social change agency helping good causes in the UK and Ireland to 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.

We do this so that the causes we care about can create a more sustainable, fair and enlightened world.

We hope that this 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.

We’d also love your following on Twitter at @changestartweet