£500 donation to mark 30 Years of Childline
29th February 2016
Staffordshire developer Walton Homes has donated £500 to the NSPCC to help fund its crucial Childline service in order to give local children access to guidance and support for a year.
Walton Homes launched its 30 Wishes campaign last summer, calling on organisations, charities, community groups and individuals to submit wishes that they could fulfill as it celebrated 30 years in business.
The developer has now presented the Staffordshire branch of the NSPCC with a £500 cheque to fund the vital counseling service within the region for the next 12 months.
Amy Summerton, director, said: “This is a hugely important wish and one that we didn’t hesitate to grant. We wish that there was no need for such a service, but unfortunately there is a real requirement from local children who would not get the support and advice they need without the NSPCC’s involvement.
“While we as a business are marking our 30th anniversary, Childline is also celebrating its 30-year landmark. The crucial support line has helped more than 4 million children since it launched in 1986, and in order to continue to respond to the calls of young people in need of counseling and advice, it relies on funding and volunteers.
“We hope that this donation will go some way to continuing its excellent work, and helping young people across the region get the support they need,” she added.
Alison Fisher, Chairman of the Lichfield District Committee of the NSPCC, said: “The needs of children are changing and more and more children are going online for support than ever before. Between 2014 and 2015, almost 300,000 counselling sessions were carried out between young people and Childline, tackling a diverse range of issues from family relationships, abuse, low self-esteem and bullying.
“When Childline launched its round-the-clock service, children’s concerns were based mainly on various types of abuse and exploitation, but 30 years on, children are struggling to cope with the pressures of modern life, and we need more support than ever to help us provide the advice and attention these youngsters need.
“Calls to Childline cost £4 each, so Walton Homes’ £500 donation will enable us to help 125 youngsters who need guidance and support. We’re very grateful to the business for launching such a worthwhile initiative to mark its anniversary and for choosing the NSPCC as one of the recipients of it,” she added.
Walton Homes is continuing to consider and grant wishes from organisations, individuals and charities. To register a wish, visit https://waltonhomes.co.uk/30wishes/
For more information on Childline, visit https://www.childline.org.uk/