The Week's Good Cause

Picture shows Derek McCulloch - 'Uncle Mac'. 

The first charity appeal in The Week's Good Cause was broadcast on 24 January 1926. The appeal raised £1,025 0s 7d for the National Children's Home and Orphanage. It was made by Charles C Wakefield, Bt, and C.B.E. The broadcast was timed to follow the Sunday Service and became a feature of Sunday evening radio. Charities swiftly realised the power of radio to touch a large audience.

Charity appeals were not new to the BBC - the first was among the earliest broadcasts in 1923 - but the fundraising process was formalised in 1926 with the introduction of The Week's Good Cause and the creation of the BBC Charity Appeals Advisory Committee. The Committee advised on the allocation of appeals and the administration of donations. The Christmas appeal for children's charities was first made in 1934 by 'Uncle Mac'. This was the precursor to the current BBC Children in Need.

Today the BBC Radio 4 Appeal continues every week, supporting a diverse range of UK charities, along with the monthly Lifeline appeal on BBC One. Large fund-raising projects such as BBC Children in Need and Comic Relief raise millions of pounds for good causes using all platforms. The BBC is also able to respond swiftly to emergencies such as natural disasters with special appeals.