UK awareness days and key dates
Awareness days, weeks and months, with bank holidays and the big commercial dates. Pick a country and the types you need, then subscribe in your own calendar.
Running all month
- Disability Pride Month 1 to 31 July 2027
- Plastic Free July 1 to 31 July 2027
- Sarcoma Awareness Month 1 to 31 July 2027
- South Asian Heritage Month 1 to 31 July 2027
- Big Butterfly Count 9 July to 1 August 2027
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Thursday 1 July 2027
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Swift Awareness Week
A week of walks, talks and events in late June and early July to help protect swifts, a declining summer visitor.
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Co-op Fortnight
A fortnight celebrating co-operative businesses across the UK, running 22 June to 5 July in 2026.
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Rabbit Awareness Week
A UK week promoting better welfare for pet rabbits, held 22 to 26 June in 2026.
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Small Charity Week
A UK week in late June that celebrates and supports small charities, with 2026 activity running from 22 June.
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Community Energy Fortnight
A two week campaign in early July that showcases community owned renewable energy groups across the UK.
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Cycle to Work Day
A UK day on the first Thursday of July that encourages people to ride a bike to work.
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Swift Awareness Week
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Friday 2 July 2027
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Action Mesothelioma Day
Action Mesothelioma Day is held in early July to remember people affected by mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer, held on Friday 3 July 2026.
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Action Mesothelioma Day
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Saturday 3 July 2027
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International Day of Cooperatives
The International Day of Cooperatives, on the first Saturday of July, celebrates member-owned businesses and their role in fair and inclusive economies.
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National Meadows Day
A Plantlife day on the first Saturday of July celebrating wildflower meadows and calling for their protection.
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International Day of Cooperatives
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Monday 5 July 2027
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Alcohol Awareness Week
A UK week run by Alcohol Change UK each July to get people thinking about alcohol and its effects.
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Great British Pea Week
An early July week marking the peak of the UK pea harvest, run by the Yes Peas! campaign to encourage people to cook with British peas.
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National School Sports Week
A UK week each July when schools hold sports days and active events, set for 5 to 11 July in 2027.
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Alcohol Awareness Week
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Tuesday 6 July 2027
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World Rural Development Day
World Rural Development Day on 6 July draws attention to sustainable development in rural areas, where much of the world lives and works.
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World Zoonoses Day
Held on 6 July, World Zoonoses Day raises awareness of diseases that pass between animals and people, marking Pasteur's first rabies vaccination in 1885.
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World Rural Development Day
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Wednesday 7 July 2027
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World Kiswahili Language Day
World Kiswahili Language Day on 7 July celebrates Kiswahili, spoken by more than 200 million people across East, Central and Southern Africa.
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World Kiswahili Language Day
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Sunday 11 July 2027
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International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica
On 11 July the UN remembers the victims of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica and works to counter denial and prevent future genocides.
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Srebrenica Memorial Day
A day on 11 July remembering the genocide of over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys at Srebrenica in 1995.
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World Horse Day
World Horse Day on 11 July celebrates the long partnership between people and horses and calls attention to their welfare.
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World Population Day
World Population Day on 11 July focuses attention on population issues and their links to development, health and the environment.
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International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica
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Monday 12 July 2027
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Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) bank holiday
A bank holiday in Northern Ireland.
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Bees' Needs Week
A Defra led week in July that shows people simple ways to help bees and other pollinators.
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International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms
On 12 July the UN raises awareness of sand and dust storms and the harm they cause to health, especially in dry regions.
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International Day of Hope
The International Day of Hope on 12 July celebrates hope as a force that unites people in facing shared global challenges.
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Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) bank holiday
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Wednesday 14 July 2027
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Group B Strep Awareness Week
Group B Strep Awareness Week raises awareness of group B strep infection in newborn babies, held from 8 to 14 July in 2026.
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Group B Strep Awareness Week
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Thursday 15 July 2027
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World Youth Skills Day
World Youth Skills Day on 15 July highlights the value of giving young people skills for work, decent jobs and enterprise.
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World Youth Skills Day
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Saturday 17 July 2027
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Festival of Archaeology
A UK festival of archaeology events held over two weeks in July, which ran from 18 July to 2 August in 2026.
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Festival of Archaeology
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Sunday 18 July 2027
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Nelson Mandela International Day
Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July, his birthday, encourages people to take action in their communities in his honour.
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Nelson Mandela International Day
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Monday 19 July 2027
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Farm Safety Week
A five day July campaign by the Farm Safety Foundation to cut deaths and injuries on UK farms. In 2026 it ran 20 to 24 July.
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Farm Safety Week
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Tuesday 20 July 2027
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International Moon Day
International Moon Day on 20 July marks the first human landing on the Moon in 1969 and promotes sustainable lunar exploration.
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World Chess Day
World Chess Day on 20 July celebrates chess as a game that builds goodwill, dialogue and cooperation between people.
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International Moon Day
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Thursday 22 July 2027
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World Brain Day
A global day on 22 July that raises awareness of brain health and neurological conditions.
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World Brain Day
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Friday 23 July 2027
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Love Parks Week
A Keep Britain Tidy campaign celebrating parks and green spaces in England, held over about ten days from late July into early August.
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Love Parks Week
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Saturday 24 July 2027
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International Self-Care Day
A global day on 24 July that promotes self-care as part of good health. The date reflects self-care being practised 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Samaritans Awareness Day
Samaritans Awareness Day falls on 24 July each year, a date chosen to reflect that Samaritans volunteers are there to listen 24/7.
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International Self-Care Day
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Sunday 25 July 2027
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International Bog Day
A day on the fourth Sunday of July that raises awareness of peatlands, their benefits and the threats they face.
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International Day for Judicial Well-being
The International Day for Judicial Well-being on 25 July recognises that the wellbeing of judges supports fair, independent and effective justice.
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International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent
On 25 July the UN recognises the contributions of women and girls of African descent and the discrimination they still face.
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World Drowning Prevention Day
World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July highlights the toll of drowning on families and communities and promotes ways to prevent it.
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International Bog Day
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Monday 26 July 2027
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International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
A UNESCO day on 26 July that raises awareness of mangroves and the need to protect these coastal forests.
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International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
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Wednesday 28 July 2027
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World Hepatitis Day
World Hepatitis Day on 28 July raises awareness of viral hepatitis and calls for a stronger global response.
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World Hepatitis Day
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Thursday 29 July 2027
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Global Tiger Day
Held on 29 July, Global Tiger Day raises awareness of wild tigers and efforts to protect them and their habitats.
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Global Tiger Day
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Friday 30 July 2027
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International Day of Friendship
The International Day of Friendship on 30 July celebrates friendship between people, cultures and countries as a foundation for peace.
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World Day against Trafficking in Persons
The World Day against Trafficking in Persons on 30 July raises awareness of human trafficking and calls for better protection of victims.
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International Day of Friendship
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Saturday 31 July 2027
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National Eisteddfod of Wales
Wales' week long festival of Welsh language, music, literature and culture, held in early August in a different area each year.
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National Marine Week
The Wildlife Trusts' 16-day celebration of UK seas and coastlines, held 25 July to 9 August in 2026.
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World Ranger Day
Held on 31 July, World Ranger Day honours rangers killed or injured on duty and recognises their work protecting nature and cultural heritage.
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National Eisteddfod of Wales

