A Year of Journalist Enquiries from ResponseSource

We receive over 30,000 enquiries every year from over 5,000 journalists who represent nearly every type of media in the UK. Often, people are looking for support in sourcing commentary or a case study to bring to life a piece prompted by an awareness day or sporting event – from the long established like Breast Cancer Awareness in October or Wimbledon in June, to the more recent like Blue Monday and Black Friday. Even where these seem purely consumer focused, journalists from trade and business titles will use these days as a hook to comment on a trend in their sector (for example the impact on retailers of vegan trends or the importance of mental health or diversity awareness for HR).

As 2020 planning gets underway, we’ve combined our analysis of journalist enquiries with key awareness days and global events by month to create a calendar of feature ideas that the ResponseSource community can help with. We’ve listed each according to when it takes place (with dates for days and weeks where available) but our research shows typically requests are submitted around six months in advance of the date in question. The same topic can then continue right up to a few days before, reflecting the range of publication deadlines we help journalist to meet.

It is by no means an exhaustive list – according to the UN there are well over 150 international observance days – but we hope is a useful guide to help forward feature planning. And if you’d like to check out whether ResponseSource can help you, submit a free request via responsesource.com/send

January:

Key events and awareness days: Dry January, Big Garden Birdwatch, Blue Monday and the Samaritans’ Brew Monday (both 20 January), Big Energy Saving Week (20-26 January), Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (20-26 January)

2019 journalist requests: New Year, Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Chinese New Year, Veganuary, Burns Night

2020 feature ideas: business and lifestyle trends for 2021; Chinese New Year (25 January) healthy options and special diet options; Veganuary recipes and the month’s effect on retailers; Burns Night (25 January) celebrations around the country; tackling isolation and loneliness in the darkest months of the year.

February:

Key events and awareness days: Paris Fashion Week (try the French version of the Journalist Enquiry Service on responsesource.fr), National Apprenticeship Week (3-7 February), National Storytelling Week (1-8 February), LGBT History Month, Children’s Mental Health Week (3-9 February)

2019 journalist requests: Valentine’s day, London Fashion Week, Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day

2020 feature ideas: Valentine’s day events or mental health tips; inclusivity and sustainability in London Fashion Week (14-18 February); pancake recipes for special diets (Shrove Tuesday, 25 February)

March:

Key events and awareness days: Eating Disorders Awareness Week (2-8 March), Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, World Book Day (5 March), British Science Week (6-15 March), Sport Relief(9-13 March), Mother’s Day (22 March)

2019 journalist requests: International Women’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, the Spring Statement, Brexit day (#1); Mother’s Day

2020 feature ideas: St Patrick’s Day (17 March) party props or places to go; post-Brexit (31 January) Budget and financial statement predictions; entrepreneurs or CEOs from your industry or region to comment on International Women’s Day (8 March)

April:

Key events and awareness days: April Fool’s Day, financial year end (5 April), World Parkinson’s Day (11 April), MS Awareness Week (20-26 April)

2019 journalist requests: Easter, Bowel Cancer Awareness, Allergy Awareness Week, London Marathon

2020 feature ideas: Easter travel, healthy recipes and non-food gifts; health case studies and expert comment for allergy and cancer awareness; London Marathon (26 April) kit or training tips

May:

Key events and awareness days: VE Day Bank Holiday (8 May), Make May Purple, Local and Community History Month, National Vegetarian Week (11-17 May)

2019 journalist requests: Bank Holidays, Mental Health Awareness Week, National Walking Month

2020 feature ideas: Bank Holiday impact on business; financial and employer tips for Mental Health Awareness Week (18-24 May); events and technology for National Walking Month

June:

Key events and awareness days: Summer Solstice (20 June), Volunteers Week (1-7 June), Child Safety Week (1-7 June), World Environment Day (5 June), Learning Disability Week (15-21 June), Bring Your Dog to Work Day (26 June), Euro 2020, Father’s Day (21 June)

2020 feature ideas: How brands mark Pride Month or HR support for LGBTQ+ employees; festival kit and stories from festival regulars for Glastonbury (24-28 June); sports technology and celebrity cyclists for Tour de France (27 June to 19 July); where to watch and promotions for Wimbledon(29 June to 12 July)

2019 journalist requests: Pride Month, Glastonbury, Tour de France, Wimbledon, Father’s Day

July:

Key events and awareness days: Plastic Free July, Summer 2020 Olympics, National Marine Week, International Justice Day(17 July)

2019 journalist requests: National Picnic Month, World Chocolate Day, World Emoji Day

2020 feature ideas: picnic equipment and ideas for National Picnic Month; offers and events for chocolate lovers for World Chocolate Day (7 July); emojis and brands or business communications for World Emoji Day (17 July)

August:

Key events and awareness days: Notting Hill Carnival (30-31 August), World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August), International Cat Day (8 August)

2019 journalist requests: August Bank Holiday, Back to School, Prosecco Day

2020 feature ideas: Bank Holiday (31 August) days out; back to school shopping and anxiety; deals and recipes for Prosecco Day (13 August)

September:

Key events and awareness days: Organ Donation Week, Recycle Week, World Alzheimer’s Month, National Coding Week

2019 journalist requests: Autumn Fashion Weeks, Organic September, Suicide Prevention Day

2020 feature ideas: insider tips for fashion weeks; luxury and non-food products for Organic September and opportunities for retailers; personal case studies and charity comment around suicide prevention and mental health

October:

Key events and awareness days: Anti-Slavery Day (18 October), National Poetry Day (1 October), International Day of the Girl Child (11 October), Byte Night, Baby Loss Awareness Week(9-15 October)

2019 journalist requests: Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Black History Month, Sober October, Hallowe’en, Brexit (#2), half-term

2020 feature ideas: Brand and celebrity support for Breast Cancer Awareness; business and education involvement in Black History Month; alcohol-free deals and benefits of stopping drinking for Sober October; SMEs and other sectors to comment on the impact of Brexit; vegan and sustainable alternatives for Halloween, and growing opportunities for brands and retailers

November:

Key events and awareness days: Equal Pay Day, Anti-Bullying Week, Small Business Saturday (28 November), Movember,  National Novel Writing Month, International Men’s Day(19 November)

2019 journalist requests: Stress Awareness Day, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Guy Fawkes’ Night

2020 feature ideas: tips for employers on Stress Awareness Day (4 November); UK Thanksgiving events; Black Friday (27 November) deals by sector, impact on business and security risks; bonfire celebrations or firework safety and environmental concerns

December:

Key events and awareness days: Decembeard, Christmas Jumper Day, World AIDS Day (1 December), Human Rights Day(10 December)

2019 journalist requests: Christmas, Advent, New Year’s Eve

2020 feature ideas: Christmas impact on any industry (from presenteeism to the office party budget; Christmas predictions and performance for retailers and brands); any festive lifestyle story (shopping, food, fashion, travel, interiors, health); New Year health, fitness, travel or business planning.

This is just a selection of upcoming events and suggestions based on how journalists use the Journalist Enquiry Service. If you’re a journalist covering one of these events you can request experts, case studies or background on any story free of charge on responsesource.com/send