The British Tunnelling Society (BTS) announced the UK's first National Tunnelling Day as Thursday, 3 December 2015. The aim of the day is to generate interest in the great number of world class tunnelling projects being undertaken in the UK and to promote the industry (and its many professions) to young people and students of all ages. The day will be an annual event on the first Thursday of December chosen due to its proximity of the Feast Day of St. Barbara, traditionally seen as the Patron Saint of Tunnellers in the UK. Thus, National Tunnelling Day in 2017 will be observed on 7 December.