Comic Relief: The technology behind Red Nose Day

The organisers of this year's Red Nose Day are gearing up for record-breaking levels of online activity in the run up to, and during, the event itself.

Following the huge success of its website in 2001, Comic Relief launched http://www.rednoseday.com on 7 February as part of the 2003 campaign, with web users able to find out how to get involved with this year's event - dubbed the Big Hair Do.

Surfers can also buy a range of goodies including 'Big Hair Do' noses, exclusive t-shirts, badges, car 'Big Hair Do' air freshener noses and the official single.

The site hosts interactive games, a quiz, polls, movie clips, and a downloadable screensaver. The website enables people to donate online and via interactive TV.

But it's on the night of the Big Hair Do itself - 14 March - that the online operation will come into its own.

In 2001, £3.6m was donated through http://www.comicrelief.com. During the night of the TV spectacular on 16 March that year, 96,000 transactions were processed. More than 100 million page requests were logged during the five week website campaign, with over 80 million registered in the final week.

Amanda Horton-Mastin, marketing director of Comic Relief, said: "Alongside BT's huge telephone platform, the website is a brilliantly quick and simple alternative way for the public to support the work of Comic Relief by making a donation."

She added: "Over the last three campaigns we have seen the growing importance of new media within our fundraising - whether it is providing people with ideas, tools, a route to communicate or a safe place to make a donation. We continue to try to push the boundaries and develop new ways to engage people, be it via SMS, interactive TV or on the web. Hopefully people will find the new site even more fun than last Red Nose Day."

Since its launch in 1985, Comic Relief has raised over £250m.

Comic Relief's technology partners include Cisco Systems, Energis, Hitachi Data Systems, Macromedia, Oracle, Retail Logic, Sun Microsystems and Zeus Technology. The applications are being built by Can Factory, Saviso and the Comic Relief in-house team. The online games have been developed by NT Media and Atticmedia.

To order a copy of the Fundraising Kit call 09065 500 500 (calls cost no more than £1.50, which covers postage and packing), text the word "kit" with full name, address and postcode to 81190 (this will cost £1.50, plus the usual text charge, which covers printing, postage and packing), or go to www.rednoseday.com and order the kit online. To make a donation, call 08457 910 910 (local rate call charges apply).