A COMEDY gig with a difference was held last week as a local theatre group got on board to help encourage people across Hereford and beyond to join in with Red Nose Day 2015.

Members of the Courtyard Youth Theatre aged eight to 17 were set the challenge of performing a comedy sketch to their fellow actors with the theme of Red Nose Day, while making their faces funny for money, with painted on facial hair and masked disguises to help them get into character.

Group practitioner, Dan Peglar, had the tough task of judging the funniest sketch, acting as a human laugh-o-meter to crown the winning group.

Dan said: “We wanted to raise a few laughs and a few pounds to get everyone excited for this year's Red Nose Day. The ideas and characters they came up with were creative and they really got stuck in to making it as funny as possible all in the name of Comic Relief.”

While rehearsing their comedy sketches, another group were warming up at the dance bar practising their toe-tapping skills in preparation for the first ever Comic Relief Danceathon which will be sweeping the nation on March 8.

The charity is calling on fundraisers to get together at home, in village halls, gyms or any location and dance non-stop for six hours. Fundraisers can follow a live, star-studded Danceathon at The SSE Arena, Wembley on the BBC Red Button. Over 2,000 fundraisers will dance non-stop at the fun-filled Wembley event, hosted by Claudia Winkleman.

Group practitioner Ellen Dorset said: “Some of our girls have got together today to hold their own Danceathon warm-up to show our community just how easy it is to get involved and raise some cash for Comic Relief.

“The whole day has been a great opportunity for our members of all ages to get together and raise awareness of the great work Comic Relief does.”

The money raised this Red Nose Day will be spent right here in Hereford, all over the UK, and across Africa, helping vulnerable and disadvantaged people living incredibly tough lives.

For more information about the Comic Relief Danceathon and to book tickets or get involved head to www.rednoseday.com/danceathon.