It is true that many charities and NGOs organise special days. They are convinced of the need for such days, and I would support their argument that special days are effective and worthwhile. There are two major reasons why charities and other organisations have special days. Firstly, they may use them as an opportunity to raise funds to support their work. In the UK, for example, the charity ‘Children in Need’ have a special day, with celebrities presenting a show on prime time television, which raises millions of pounds each year. Secondly, they use these special days to enhance their public image, making the most of increased news coverage to inform the public about their aims and achievements. Volunteers talk to people in the streets on such days and offer badges, sometimes even recruiting people to become voluntary workers for the charity. In terms of effectiveness, these special days are worth all the extra work and preparation which charities devote to organising...