Almost £2,800 was donated by readers of Newsquest titles across the country to support the vital work of the children’s charity and it’s Childline counselling service could be there to help ensure young people get the support they need.
As well as the generous donation, numerous gifts and useful items were bought by readers from special Amazon wish lists for the NSPCC’s hubs around the UK.
Childline counsellors are contacted by a child every 45 seconds, and every £20 raised could help answer calls from five children who desperately need support.
Over the year, Newsquest staff baked, cycled, hiked and ran in a series of UK-wide events and raised more than £27,400 too, while more than 55 Newsquest workers also gave up their time to volunteer with the charity.
Maria Neophytou, the NSPCC’s acting Chief Executive Officer, said: “The NSPCC relies heavily on donations to ensure we can take action to prevent abuse and be there for children and families when they need us most. Every pound donated really does make a difference, and we are hugely grateful to all of Newsquest’s readers for their donations.
“We are also enormously proud of our partnership with Newsquest and extremely thankful for their support. They’ve helped highlight the incredible work of our practitioners, volunteers and fundraisers on the pages of titles from Ayr to Watford, Rhyl to Yarmouth and in all four UK nations.
“Thank you to everyone who has helped make this happen.”
Henry Faure-Walker, Newsquest CEO, said: “Our partnership with the NSPCC has been a wonderful experience, and it has been a delight to support the charity throughout 2024.
“I’m so pleased our readers and staff were able to help support children across the UK through gifts, donations and fundraising over the last 12 months.”
To find out more about the NSPCC’s services, or how you can help support the children’s charity, go to www.nspcc.org.uk
Loneliness affects thousands of children
Thousands of lonely children and young people across the country still turn to Childline for help.
The NSPCC’s counselling service for children delivered almost 5,000 sessions to young people relating to loneliness online and over the phone last year. It was one of the main reasons for young people to contact the service about problems with their mental health during this period.
Causes included moving house or school, being bullied by their peers, seeing friends having fun on social media and feeling as though they are missing out.
Shaun Friel, Childline Director, said: “It’s heart-breaking to see so many young people turning to Childline because they feel lonely and isolated.
“In these darker winter months, these feelings can become even more intense. That’s why it’s vital that children know they don’t have to face these emotions alone.”
Childline is available for young people via the phone on 0800 1111 and online through the 121 chat on the Childline website.
Small business can make a big difference
Small businesses can help the NSPCC make a big difference to children across the UK.
The children’s charity is calling on small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs to join its Partners in Business initiative.
To find out more or sign up to Partners in Business, visit www.nspcc.org.uk/support-us/partner-with-us/partners-business.
Whether organising a donation, a one-off fundraising event or selecting the NSPCC as their charity of the year, businesses that sign up are given expert support, guidance and fundraising inspiration for up to 12 months.
Every £50 raised for the NSPCC could support parents and families for two hours, while £500 could fund a Helpline practitioner give 22 hours of support to adults concerned about a child’s wellbeing.
Last year, 50 participants raised enough to fund 2,200 Childline counselling sessions.
Nathan Shrubb, NSPCC Partners in Business manager, said: “Supporting charities like the NSPCC can be a benefit to brand reputation and trust amongst customers, and a recent survey showed staff felt proud to work for companies in a charity partnership. We would love to welcome more small businesses and entrepreneurs into Partners in Business in 2025.”
