The trading income gap between a Red Nose Day year and a Sports Relief year has shrunk from £7m in 2009/10 to £5m in 2011/12, realising Comic Relief Limited's predictions of a narrowing of the income difference between the two events.

Held on alternate years Red Nose Day and Sports Relief show quite different trading incomes. Trading income in 2011, a Red Nose Day year, sat at £13m, while the latest figures for 2012, a Sports Relief year, show trading income of just over £8m - a difference of £5m. However the income gap between the two events has shrunk by £2m, having been £7m over the two previous years. 

The change can be attributed predominantly to a boost in corporate sponsorship. Comic Relief Limited, the trading arm of Charity Projects (best known to the public as Comic Relief) increased corporate support to cover event and trading costs by £1.2m from £2.1m in 2010 to £3.3m in 2012. Its partners in 2012 included British Airways, BT, Sainsbury's HP and Paypal. In addition, for the first time it received income from overseas initiatives in 2012, totalling £459,000.

While these incomes increased, merchandising, events and trading income dropped by £0.5m from 2010 to almost £2.5m in 2012. Within this figure merchandising was the biggest loser, dropping £280,000 to £1.5m, while Comic Relief TV, video and publications also showed significant drops. The dips were slightly buffered by an increase in single and album sales and an increased sale of red noses in the year. 

Directors for the company said in its accounts: "The variation between a Sport Relief year and a Red Nose Day year is likely to continue for the next few years, but it is expected that it will get narrower as the Sport Relief brand becomes even better known. The company will continue to raise funds from various trading activities over the coming year."

Overall profit rose from £5.3m in 2010 to £6.6m in 2012. Just over £6.4m of this will be transfered as gift aid to Charity Projects, retaining £145,000 for the trading company's reserves in order to support potential new initiatives in the future.

Sports Relief was held for the sixth time last year, having launched in 2002. It raised £14.4m including fundraising activities in its first year. This rose to £68m in 2012.

 

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