We have been racking our brains for literally years to come up with an annual fund raising event other than the obvious, tried and tested and oh so boring ‘party’ or ‘concert’ and when Liz, our web editor suggested she did a day going about her normal duties dressed as Freddie Mercury we couldn’t believe it. What a gem of an idea. So simple, so cool and so effective and such fun. Fred would have loved it! That’s how FREDDIE FOR A DAY was born – brilliant.

So here’s how its going to work. September 5^th is the anniversary of Freddie’s birthday. The idea is for as many people as possible to dress up as him for the whole day and carry on with their normal life. You can either buy your costume from the Queenonline shop where all the profit goes to the Mercury Phoenix Trust or make your own. He had an awesome collection of stage gear so there is something for everybody! Queen’s photo archivist Richard Gray is putting together six classic Freddie costumes to inspire you and the Queenonline web master Nick Weymouth is putting together a starter pack to help you get going. Obviously we will start small in 2010 but this could grow into something big, think Guinness Book of Records, think photos like Fat Bottomed Girls and Bicycle Race. Its all about fund raising for the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the charity set up in Freddie’s name as a tribute to him and to increase awareness of what we are achieving in his name in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. We have now given over eight million pounds and are inundated with requests for help from grass roots organisations especially in the developing world, so many of which we have to turn down because our funds are limited. Fundraising is so easy nowadays. Its not the embarrassment of asking your friends and family to sponsor you face to face. Instead, a quick email, tell your mates what you are doing, register with Just Giving.com and then its up to them to come on board or not and no worries if they don’t. Liz as a ‘banker’ in the City of London had an interesting day …. See her blog on www.mercuryphoenixtrust.com and a great finale on stage at the Dominion with the cast of We Will Rock You plus the two rock gods Brian and Roger! Can’t get better than that! So, PLAN YOUR COSTUME NOW, startle your friends and colleagues and get hyped up for 5^th September and be ‘Freddie for a Day’.