Tag: NSPCC

NSPCC and Signalong create new resources to help protect children with communication barriers from abuse

New resources created for children who face communication barriers will share crucial messages to help keep them safe from sexual abuse.

The national initiative from the NSPCC and communication charity Signalong was developed as part of the Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign to make important messaging on preventing child sexual abuse more accessible to children and families in the city and beyond.

The Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign, which is being delivered by NSPCC Scotland and the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and partners, launched last year and ends next month.

Dozens of events at libraries and public buildings across the country have seen thousands of families receiving the campaign materials which contain advice for parents, carers and professionals on how to have simple, age-appropriate conversations with children to help keep them safe from sexual abuse.

With the help of a colourful animated dinosaur, called Pantosaurus, Talk PANTS helps children understand that their body belongs to them, they have a right to say no and they should tell a safe adult they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried. 

The Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign promotes the PANTS rule, which teaches children five key messages to help them understand their rights regarding their bodies.

These principles empower children to recognise inappropriate behaviour, affirm their rights to personal safety, and understand that they can speak out if something does not feel right.

The Signalong charity provides training and resources to assist children with communication difficulties and when English is an additional language.

Signalong is based on British sign language and uses speech, body language, facial expression and voice tones.

Lillian Cringles, Chair of Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “Inclusion and hearing what matters to children with additional support needs is of vital importance.

“We are very proud that dedicated materials for families using Signalong to aid communication were the inception of our local campaign. It is impressive that the NSPCC and Signalong have formalised a set of national resources in such a timely fashion and demonstrates a real commitment to partnership working.

“I have no doubt these new materials will continue to be of use in our Edinburgh education, community and family settings to aid prevention of sexual harm to children.”

Carla Malseed, Local Campaigns Manager for NSPCC Scotland, added: “The Talk PANTS resources are an important step in equipping families and professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to have open discussions about body safety.

“They will make difficult conversations around sex and consent easier to have with children from more diverse backgrounds.”

Tracy Goode, Signalong Chief Executive, said: “Talk PANTS is a wonderful resource to help keep children safe, available in English, Welsh, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Scottish Gaelic, BSL and Makaton.

“Signalong recognise that not all children speak the same language and those with communication difficulties do not use the same signing system across the UK.

“Signalong are delighted to partner with the NSPCC to ensure that the PANTS message is available to those who rely on Signalong to communicate. The colourful PANTS Rules incorporate realistic drawings and signs which are readily available to those who currently use Signalong.”

Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The Talk PANTS campaign has already supported parents, carers and professionals with the resources they need to have important conversations with thousands of children and young people in Edinburgh.

“With an increasing number of children in the city recorded as having an additional support need, this new set of materials is a welcome addition to the existing campaign and goes a step further in ensuring that children experiencing challenges around communication can access important information about boundaries and body safety.”

While the resources were developed as part of the Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign they are available online to professionals from across the United Kingdom.

The Signalong materials are available online and will be launched at an online event on Wednesday, November 20 with speakers from Signalong, NSPCC Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council.

For additional inquiries or to access more information about the Talk PANTS campaign, please visit the NSPCC website, where the Signalong materials are also available.

Thousands of online grooming crimes in Scotland during past five years

  • More than 3,000 Communicating Indecently with a Child offences have been recorded by Police Scotland during the past five years
  • NSPCC urges Ofcom to significantly strengthen its approach to child sexual abuse and for the UK Government to ensure the regulator can tackle grooming in private messaging

Over 3,000 online grooming crimes across Scotland have been recorded by Police Scotland during the past five years, new data compiled by the NSPCC has revealed.   

The figures provided by Police Scotland show 3,234 Communicating Indecently with a Child offences were recorded since 2019, with 672 offences recorded last year (2023/24) – an increase of 13% from the previous year.  

The NSPCC has issued these findings a year on from the Online Safety Act being passed.

The charity is urging Ofcom to significantly strengthen the rules social media platforms must follow to tackle child sexual abuse on their products.

They say the regulator currently puts too much focus on acting after harm has taken place rather than being proactive to ensure the design features of social media apps are not contributing to abuse.

The NSPCC is also calling on the Government to strengthen legislation to ensure child sexual abuse is disrupted in private messages such as on Snapchat and WhatsApp.

The charity’s Voice of Online Youth young people’s group were not surprised at the prevalence of Snapchat in offences.

Liidia, 13 from Glasgow, said: “Snapchat has disappearing messages, and that makes it easier for people to hide things they shouldn’t be doing.

“Another problem is that Snapchat has this feature where you can show your location to everyone. If you’re not careful, you might end up showing where you are to people you don’t know, which is super risky.

“And honestly, not all the rules in Snapchat are strict, so some people take advantage of that to do bad things. Apps should have better ways for us to report bad things, and they should always get updated to protect us better with the latest security tech.”

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said: “One year since the Online Safety Act became law and we are still waiting for tech companies to make their platforms safe for children.

“We need ambitious regulation by Ofcom who must significantly strengthen their current approach to make companies address how their products are being exploited by offenders.

“It is clear that much of this abuse is taking place in private messaging which is why we also need the UK Government to strengthen the Online Safety Act to give Ofcom more legal certainty to tackle child sexual abuse on the likes of Snapchat and WhatsApp.”

National Police Chief’s Council Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigations (CPAI) Becky Riggs said: “The numbers in this NSPCC data are shocking and policing joins partners in urging tech companies and Ofcom to fulfil their legal and moral obligations to keep children safe from harm within the online communities they have created.

“A year on from the Online Safety Act being passed, it is imperative that the responsibility of safeguarding children online is placed with the companies who create spaces for them, and the regulator strengthens rules that social media platforms must follow.

“Policing will not stop in its fight against those who commit these horrific crimes. We cannot do this alone, so while we continue to pursue and prosecute those who abuse and exploit children, we repeat our call for more to be done by companies in this space.”

Adults across Scotland learn how to spot and report child abuse through Listen Up, Speak Up programme

Staff from NSPCC Scotland’s local campaigns team will be out in force during the school holidays teaching people from various organisations how they can play their part in keeping children safe.

With autumn holidays approaching, the team felt it was a good time to make sure everyone knows what to do if they are concerned about a child so they can play their part in helping to keep children safe from abuse and neglect.

Listen Up, Speak Up (LUSU) offers free online or face-to-face training to help adults recognise when a child may be at risk, and what they can do to help.

NSPCC Helpline made 1,103 referrals to local authorities and agencies in Scotland over the last three years over concerns of the neglect of a child, highlighting the importance of LUSU.

The NSPCC Helpline takes calls from adults concerned about children, and practitioners will make referrals to agencies if they feel that further investigation of support is needed.

The NSPCC aims to inspire a million people across the UK to take actions that keep children safe through the Listen Up, Speak Up campaign to create a nation of safeguarders who can support families before they reach crisis point.

After a pilot last year, LUSU was rolled out across the UK in February this year. Sanctuary Housing, SSE, House of Bruar and Montrose Playhouse are among the organisations that have signed up so far in Scotland.

And the local campaigns team have organised a week of activity from October 4 to 11, conducting LUSU workshops across Scotland with organisations such as Glasgow Clyde College, Dads Rock in Edinburgh and Aberdeenshire Rangers.

Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “It’s been great getting out into communities across Scotland to deliver the important messages of LUSU.

“Everyone wants to play their part in keeping children safe, but it can be difficult to know when and how to act. You will come away from a LUSU session with the knowledge of what to do when you are worried about a child’s safety and wellbeing.

“A lot of people think ‘what if I am wrong?’ but it is more important to think ‘what if I am right?’. That could make a massive difference to child’s life.

“NSPCC Helpline has had to make more than 1,100 referrals for neglect to agencies in Scotland over three years – that’s almost one a day. That lays bare the scale of the problem. We need people across the country to play their part in helping keep children safe.

“If you are part of an organisation which could benefit from a LUSU session, please get in touch.”

To find out more about LUSU in Scotland, visit the NSPCC website or contact scotlandcampaigns@nspcc.org.uk.

Children’s author shares Talk PANTS message to help keep children safe in Edinburgh

A popular children’s book author took time out of writing recently to read a book to youngsters which aims to spread crucial messages to help keep children safe from abuse.

Bruna De Luca (47), who lives in Melrose in the Scottish Borders, was delighted when the children at the Sighthill library event joined in with all the catchphrases when she read from the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS story which features a colourful animated dinosaur, called Pantosaurus, and her own book ‘I’m Not Cute, I’m Dangerous’.

The Pantosaurus book and animation, which features a fun song, helps children to understand the talk PANTS messages which includes that their body belongs to them, that they have a right to say no, and they should tell a safe adult they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried. 

Bruna, mum of two girls aged 10 and seven, said: “As a parent of young children I love how the Talk PANTS book approaches such a tricky topic without introducing fear or ideas that children might worry about.

“It helps parents and carers to talk about this subject in a positive and reassuring way that won’t make their child feel anxious.

“The children really enjoyed hearing these stories and it was lovely to see the delight on their faces when a life-sized Pantosaurus visited too!

“Many of the children already knew the words to the Talk PANTS song and they joined in. They were having so much fun that they didn’t even know they were learning some very important messages at the same time.”

Talk PANTS gives parents, carers and professionals advice on how to have simple, age-appropriate conversations with children to help keep them safe from sexual abuse.

This event was part of the NSPCC’s Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign to help protect young children from sexual abuse which has resulted in approximately 4,110 Talk PANTS conversations with people in the city since it launched last September.

Edinburgh, Talk PANTS is being delivered by NSPCC Scotland, the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and a wide range of partners across the city to spread the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS message.

During the past year, local PANTS professionals have been trained to deliver the campaign messages and resources to other professionals and families across Edinburgh through webinars and workshops.

And several awareness raising events have been held across the city for parents, carers and children, including a fun family day with Pantosaurus at Edinburgh Zoo and family sessions at Edinburgh Book Festival.

Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland Local Campaigns Manager, said: “We are very grateful to Bruna for supporting this campaign – the children absolutely loved meeting her and listening to her story as well as The Power of PANTS.

“We know that a simple conversation can make a big difference in helping to keep children safe and that’s what Talk PANTS is all about.

“With the help of our fun, loving dino – Pantosaurus – we’ve already reached thousands of people across the city, and we’re looking forward to having more conversations at upcoming events.”

Lillian Cringles, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “We’re extremely pleased that this campaign has already helped thousands of parents, carers and professionals to have such important conversations with children about their bodies and how to stay safe. 

“I’d urge families to look out for other events on our web pages to learn more about the TalkPANTS message.”

There will be a reading of Pantosaurus and the Power of PANTS and a special visit from the friendly dinosaur at Portobello Book Festival on Saturday, 5 October – following bookbug. For more information, visit: EdinburghTalkPANTS

Anyone with concerns about the welfare of a child can call the NSPCC’s free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email: help@NSPCC.org.uk for advice.

Children and young people can contact Childline about anything that may be worrying them by calling 0800 1111 or by visiting: www.childline.org.uk

The NSPCC would like to thank Baker-Ross for their donation of children’s craft packs.

Lidl: What’s In The Box?! 

LIDL LAUNCHES 1,000 ‘MYSTERY BOXES’ EACH WORTH OVER £100

  • The supermarket is launching its first ever series of ‘Mystery Boxes’, packed full of characteristically random Middle of Lidl items for just £20
  • Fans will be able to get their hands on a wide selection of cult items, collectively worth over £100, from ukuleles to sandwich toasters and swimming goggles
  • Of the 1,000 limited edition boxes up for grabs, 50 lucky shoppers will also receive a high-value bonus item worth up to £199; anything from a swimming pool, to a dehumidifier, lawnmower or even a paddle board!
  • The Lidl Mystery Box will be available to purchase for £20 from 10am Thursday 15th August via www.lidlmysterybox.co.uk – but be quick!

The secret is out – Lidl is launching its first ever series of ‘Mystery Boxes’, each stuffed full of weird and wonderful ‘Middle of Lidl’ items, from coffee machines, ukuleles, goggles, crochet kits, massage guns and more! 

Worth over £100 each, the launch will see just 1,000 limited edition boxes up for grabs, priced at just £20 each. The question is, what will be inside the box? 

For 50 lucky dippers, a shiny Bonus Item Coupon will be hidden inside, unlocking a bigger bonus item worth up to a whopping £199. Coupon holders could receive anything from a Grillmeister 2-Burner Gas Barbeque to a Tower Air Fryer 5 in 1 Smokeless Grill, a Livarno Garden Furniture Set or even an Inflatable All-Round Stand-Up Paddle Board – so run don’t walk!

With Mystery Boxes bursting on to the scene with brands such as Candy Kittens* and Nike** jumping on the trend, the launch of the Lidl Mystery Box is a celebration of the beloved cult classic ‘Middle of Lidl’ which regularly grips the nation’s attention with its unpredictable product offering. 

They have recently gained significant traction online, with #MysteryBoxes trending on social media with a whopping 175.9M posts***. Shoppers are clearly looking to add some additional Middle Aisle pizzazz to their shopping sprees, and Lidl’s latest drop provides just that. 

In true ‘Middle of Lidl’ fashion, each box presents different surprises; fans could receive a Silvercrest Slushie Maker in one, whilst in another, shoppers could channel their inner Arnold Schwarzenegger and get DIY savvy with Parkside Spanners, or even learn a few chords with a Clifton Ukulele. Each box is a mystery just waiting to be solved…

Hopeful mystery-solvers can head to www.lidlmysterybox.co.uk to purchase one of the 1,000 Lidl Mystery Boxes from 10am Thursday 15th August for just £20 – available while stocks last. 

All proceeds of the Mystery Boxes will be donated to the NSPCC. 

Child abuse survivors raise almost £50,000 for NSPCC by climbing world’s highest mountain

A group of abuse survivors have raised £48,106 for child protection charity the NSPCC by scaling Mount Everest.

Giles Moffatt (51), who suffered abuse as a young boy at Edinburgh Academy, brought together the 11-strong group of men and women, many of them also child abuse survivors, to form ‘Team Uprising’ and travel to Nepal to trek at ultra-high altitude in the Himalayas.

The wider group reached Everest Base Camp on April 12 and Giles, his climbing companion Andrew Leslie and three guides continued further up the mountain in a bid to reach the summit by the end of May.

Mid expedition Giles became unwell with High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), which is when fluid collects in the lungs and if left untreated can be fatal.

Following treatment, he returned to the mountain for three more weeks and made a further attempt to get up the notorious Khumbu Icefall, the route to the higher camps. Struck by a different illness a second time, he was forced to turn back.

Despite not reaching the summit, Giles has achieved what he set out to do – raising awareness of the impact of child abuse and bringing in much needed funds for the NSPCC to help keep children safe.

Giles, who lives in Rye, East Sussex, said: “A year ago, the members of Team Uprising were strangers, now we are friends for life. 

“Eleven of us made it to base camp and one of us made it to the summit with support from our Sherpa guides. Most importantly, everyone made it back safely. Out of evil, much good has come.”

Andrew (37) made it to the summit of Everest on May 21, with three Sherpa guides and colleagues – PK Sherpa, Mingma Sherpa, and Sonam Sherpa. Andy, who grew up in Helensburgh but now lives in Portland, Oregon, said he was thrilled to complete his lifelong ambition of getting to the top of Everest.

He said: “It was really special to climb with Giles and this group of survivors. We were all brought together by a passion for mountains and the transformation they are capable of creating, but there was a much deeper purpose to this expedition. 

“Many men in the group had a shared traumatic experience in childhood, so our climb aimed to raise awareness of the impact of this kind of abuse. With everyone reaching Base Camp and some of us going on to climb Everest, we took a terrible childhood experience and turned it into something really positive which we hope will help prevent abuse happening to children.

“The money raised for the NSPCC will be used to help keep children safe.

“This journey pushed me to my physical and mental limits more than I ever thought possible, and the perspectives gained together with this group will last a lifetime. It’s a journey that has left me changed for the better.”

The funds raised by ‘Team Uprising’ will go towards supporting NSPCC services. These include Childline, the charity’s free counselling service for children, the adult Helpline for reporting concerns about a child and the charity’s educational programmes, such as Talk PANTS and Speak Out Stay Safe, which aim to help prevent child abuse and neglect.

Other members of the group included: Neil Russell, Neil MacDonald, Frazer Macdonald, Graeme Sneddon, Adrian Blakemore, Niall Mackinlay, and friends and family Cat Bolten, Rachel Leslie, Andrea Christensen, Jacob Christensen.

They were supported by OONI Pizza Ovens, Tiso, Thermos, Tunnocks, The Altitude Centre in London, Lindores Abbey Distillery and Taking the Pea snacks.

Young people looking for support can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit Childline.org.uk. Childline is available to all young people until their 19th birthday.

Any adult concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000 or emailing help@NSPCC.org.uk. But should call the police on 999 straight away if they think a child is in immediate danger.

To donate, visit:

G Moffatt is fundraising for NSPCC (justgiving.com)

Mum climbs Pentland Skyline to raise funds for Childline in memory of her daughter

A mum whose teenage daughter died by suicide after viewing harmful content online has raised more than £4,000 for Childline by climbing the Pentland Skyline in Scotland.

Ruth Moss (52), a nurse from Edinburgh, raised the money for the NSPCC-run counselling service, which supported her daughter Sophie several times before she died.

Sophie died in 2014 aged 13 after she watched harmful content online, including material that glorified suicide.

She struggled with her mental health throughout her teenage years, and Ruth encouraged her to contact Childline when she was feeling very low or suicidal so that she could talk in confidence to someone, who was professionally trained and independent from family and teachers.

Despite living with the grief of losing her daughter, Ruth is determined to bring about something positive from her tragedy by raising money for the free counselling service, which is available to young people up to the age of 19, 24 hours a day, all year round.

Ruth completed the 16-mile route with a 5,577 ft climb with her husband Craig and two friends on Saturday, June 15. She said: “It was pretty tough. The Pentlands aren’t that high, but doing 15 hills in one go was sore on the legs.

“But it was such a positive thing to do in Sophie’s memory – as well as for an amazing charity. We took a photo of Sophie with us all the way. I hope we did her proud.”

In 2022/23, Childline delivered 105,366 counselling sessions with children across the UK where the child’s main concern was mental or emotional health, suicide or self-harm.

Ruth said: “Sophie used Childline for quite some time and while the outcome for her was tragic the service provided her with comfort, and I am so grateful to them for being there for her.”

To support Ruth visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/ruth-moss-1710585841103

Young people looking for support on any of the issues mentioned, can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit Childline.org.uk. Childline is there for all young people up until their 19th birthday. Call the police on 999 if you suspect someone is in immediate danger.

Childline delivered 682 counselling sessions a month last year to young people from Scotland

•     Last year Childline delivered almost 8,200 counselling sessions to children and young people from Scotland  

•      In more than 700 of these sessions the young person said that Childline was the first place they had shared their concerns

•     Almost all these counselling sessions were conducted online – 59% via 1-2-1 chat and 41% via email.      

•     The NSPCC calls on the public to play their part for children by getting involved in Childhood Day.

The NSPCC’s Childline service delivered nearly 8,200 counselling sessions last year to children and young people from Scotland, with poor mental health, difficulty with family relationships and friendship issues some of the top concerns.

As the charity prepared for its third annual Childhood Day on Friday (June 7th) it issued a rallying call for families to come together to celebrate childhood by signing-up or joining in on one of the many fundraising activities taking place around the country.

In 2023/24 Childline delivered 8,190 counselling sessions to children and young people from Scotland dealing with a range of worries. Almost all these counselling sessions were conducted online – 59% via 1-2-1 chat and 41% via email – highlighting the changing way in which the service is now provided.

In more than 700 sessions the young person said Childline was the first place they had talked about their concern, reinforcing how vital the service continues to be for children.

The new data released by the NSPCC gives an indicator of the issues and problems facing children and young people in 2024. It also highlights the need for children and parents to find fun ways to spend time together and have conversations about what is taking place in their lives.

Childhood Day brings people together across the UK, Jersey and the Channel Islands to celebrate the joys of being a child, while also encouraging people to play their part to help keep children safe.

This year, for the first time ever, we are held a Childline Sports Day in Glasgow’s Golden Jubilee Hotel. This fun-filled event saw 13 teams battle against each other in physical and cerebral activities to win the coveted Sports Day trophy.

There were lots of fun interactive moments, with live linkups from the other Childline sports day events taking place in Manchester and London, to bring everyone together, and a silent auction, donations, raffle, BBQ, drinks and live entertainment.

While children from Festival Park Day Nursery in Lorne Street, Glasgow, visited Kinning Park Care Home residents on Childhood Day on Friday (June 7) for a day of “intergenerational connection” to show the benefits of interaction between young and old, such as children learning from their elders as well as helping to improve the residents’ mental health. The day includde story time, nursery rhymes and games.

Anne Marie Vernel, Depute Head of Festival Park Day Nursery, said: “The children have been building up relationships with the residents over the past few months and thoroughly enjoy visiting the care home. The children also welcomed the residents into the nursery last month and they were very excited about the visit.

“It’s lovely to see the two generations meet and share stories. History is brought to life when the children hear about what life was like for them when they were growing up, and I’m sure the residents areinterested to hear about childhood experiences today as well.”

People can also get involved by volunteering at a Childhood Day collection, taking on the charity’s Childhood Day Mile or donating directly – including at cash donation points in Lidl GB stores. Additionally, on 7th and 8th June Lidl GB donated £1 to the NSPCC for every customer that spends £10, scans the Lidl Plus app and submits their donation.

Collections took place before the Taylor Swift concert at Murrayfield stadium tram station and at Aberdeen beach Asda yesterday (Saturday).

Further collections will take place across Scotland over the coming days: at Central train station, Glasgow, on Thursday, June 13,  at Braehead Shopping Centre, Glasgow, on June, 14 and 21, at the Foo Fighters concert in Glasgow outside Hampden Park stadium on Monday, June 17 and in Glasgow City Centre on Friday, June 7 with the Rock choir.

All the funds raised from Childhood Day will go towards ensuring the NSPCC can continue to deliver services like Childline to those children who need support and feel they have nowhere else to turn.

Childline often hears from young people about how much the service means to them and positively impacts their lives.

One young person aged 14* from Scotland told Childline: “I want to say thank you so much Childline, you’ve really helped me. I know I can come back anytime for reminders on helping my mental health, or check the website, it’s so good!”

Rebecca Wilcox, President of Childline, said: “As a mother, as well as the President of Childline and a volunteer for the service, I believe it’s incredibly important for young people to have a safe space where they can discuss anything that might be troubling them.

“Childline will always be here for every young person, no matter the nature or size of their concern.”

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC CEO, said: “Every day Childline continues to be a safe port for hundreds of children struggling with a widening range of issues and concerns.

“Events like Childhood Day play an essential part in providing the support we need to keep Childline running day and night for young people, some of whom have nowhere else to turn.  

“As well as raising vital funds for the NSPCC Childhood Day also encourages children and families to celebrate childhood.

 “This is why we are calling on communities, schools and families to take part in fun activities, such as the Childhood Day Mile – where they can hop, skip or jump a mile.”

Lidl GB is sponsoring the NSPCC’s Childhood Day for a third year as retail sponsor. Lidl GB has been partnered with the NSPCC for 7 years, raising over £9 million for the charity in this time.

It is currently supporting young people with their mental health by raising money for Childline. Lidl GB will be helping to raise awareness of Childhood Day, as well as holding its own events and activities with colleagues and customers across Great Britain to help raise vital funds.

Also sponsoring this year’s Childline Sports Day is O2. O2 connects millions of families across the UK and is committed to helping keep children and young people safe when gaming, studying and connecting with friends online.

As part of its sustainability strategy, the Better Connections Plan, the company is working to improve the digital skills and confidence of six million people by the end of 2025.

To find out more , visit:

www.nspcc.org.uk/support-us/charity-fundraising/childhood-day/

Bikers raise over £25,000 for NSPCC riding John o’ Groats to Land’s End

   ·              Motorcycle group ride south from John o’ Groats dressed as 1970s stunt legend Evel Knievel for charity

      ·              Welsh group travel through Inverness, Perth and Falkirk during Scottish leg of journey to Land’s End

      ·              The group has already raised £25,000 for NSPCC as part of epic journey

A group of about 40 Welsh motorcycling enthusiasts rode their bikes through Scotland to raise money for the NSPCC – dressed as the 1970s bike stunt legend Evel Knievel.

The Ride Cymru group spent two days (23 & 24 May) in Scotland as part of their wider journey from John o’ Groats to Land’s End using non-motorway roads.

The group, who have done several fundraising drives in Wales before, are no strangers to Scotland. In 2017, they raised £5,000 for the NSPCC by riding to the three mainland capitals – London, Cardiff and Edinburgh – in two days.

But this latest fundraiser has smashed that record and their Justgiving page has already reached nearly £24,000.

The Welsh bikers will be joined by Maurice McDonald-Smith, from East Kilbride. Or, as he likes to be called, the “Scottish Knievel”.

He said: “I consider it a privilege to be allowed into the family of the Cymru Knievel riders who come together each year to raise money to help the children of Scotland and the rest of the UK to enjoy a better childhood.

“Last year was my first time raising money for the NSPCC and everyone I met from the charity were the nicest and kindest people – I think their commitment and dedication to keeping children safe needs to be supported.

“This is where the drive to fundraise comes from. I have been fundraising for the last 10 years for charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support, Teenage Cancer Trust and more. The engagement by the NSPCC staff and volunteers last year made raising money for them the most rewarding.”

Fiona Milne, an NSPCC Fundraiser in the north of Scotland, said: “We are so incredibly excited to have the Cymru Knievels in Scotland to raise funds for the NSPCC.

“It truly was an epic journey and we really appreciate that they have chosen us as their charitable cause. The money they will raise will help us continue our vital work keeping children safe from abuse and neglect.”

To find out more about fundraising events with the charity, visit the NSPCC website. To donate to the Ride Cymru drive, visit their Justgiving site.

Childhood Day raises vital funds for NSPCC services as emotional abuse counselling sessions increase

·       Childline has seen a five percent increase in counselling sessions on emotional abuse.

·       Being shouted at or verbally abused accounted for more than half of the sessions (52%)

·       NSPCC believes everyone can play their part in protecting children from abuse and neglect, and calls for the public to get involved in Childhood Day on the 7th of June.

·       Lidl GB has been named as retail sponsor for the third year in a row and is encouraging customers and colleagues to get involved in activities across the country.

Today, the NSPCC is releasing new data which reveals over the last year its Childline service has seen a 5 per cent increase in the number of counselling sessions it has delivered to children across the UK experiencing emotional abuse.

From April 2023 to March 2024 the service’s trained counsellors delivered 2,879 sessions on this issue.

In 52% of sessions, where the main concern was emotional abuse, being shouted at or verbally abused was the top sub concern.

Being criticised, humiliated and called names was the second most common sub concern.

The children’s charity is releasing these figures as it rallies communities to come together to play their part in helping to keep children safe by supporting the charity’s annual Childhood Day on the 7th of June.

Lidl GB has been named as retail sponsor for the event for the third year in a row and is encouraging customers and colleagues to get involved in activities across the country to help raise money.

People can get involved by donating, volunteering at a collection point or taking on the charity’s Childhood Day Mile.

All the funds raised will go towards helping the NSPCC deliver vital services, like Childline which supports children at risk.

Being isolated or ignored, not being allowed to have friends and receiving blame for things they had not done were amongst the main things that children mentioned to the service’s trained counsellors. On average, eight children a day are contacting the service about emotional abuse.

Fundraising activities already planned in Scotland include a beach clean at Broughty Ferry on the 28th of May and bucket collections in Edinburgh Waverley on 30th of May, St Nicholas Street, Aberdeen, on the 31st of May, and Glasgow Central on the 6th of June.

NSPCC fundraisers also hope to capture the generosity of music fans with collections outside Murrayfield on the 8th of June just before Taylor Swift’s concert in Edinburgh and also before a Foo Fighters concert at Hampden Park in Glasgow on the 17th of June.

Fiona Milne, Fundraiser for NSPCC Scotland, said: “The Childhood Mile is a fantastic way to raise money for the NSPCC and help us support children and keep them safe.

“Across Scotland, we will be out in force with our collection buckets, so if you have any spare change please give generously, or if you can give a couple of hours of your time, we would love you to join us.

“Fundraising drives like this are vital in allowing us to continue our work keeping children safe from abuse and neglect.”

A 17-year old from Scotland* told a Childline counsellor: “I live with my dad and most days it’s like treading on eggshells, I don’t know what mood he’ll be in.

“Like, the other day, he shouted at me for no reason, and called me stupid and hopeless. It hurts even more cos none my siblings get treated like this, it’s just me! Physically, I’m safe but mentally I feel like I’m dying inside. I don’t know what to do.”

Another young person that called Childline said: “I love my dad, he does not shout or swear or call me horrible names like mum. I feel way safer at his house, I don’t at mum’s – she’s really scary.

“Just yesterday, she screamed at my sister to ‘shut the F up!’ I honestly want to leave my house and run and run and never look back – but I can’t. What do I do?”

At the NSPCC, we know that emotional abuse can sometimes be difficult to spot as there are not always obvious signs.

Despite this, it is an issue that is impacting many children and young people.

Last year, 99,630 children were identified through Child in Need assessments as experiencing emotional abuse and this was the highest number of assessments for all types of abuse and neglect.

At the NSPCC, we know that over time and without the right support, emotional abuse can have long lasting effects on a child’s social, emotional, and physical health.

That is why it is essential that services like Childline are here for those children who need help and do not know where to turn.

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC CEO, said: “Half a million children a year suffer abuse in the UK. That means 7 children in a classroom experience abuse before they turn 18. This can’t go on and it doesn’t have to.

“It’s devastating to hear that contacts to Childline on emotional abuse are on the increase. We must remember that these are not children who are being overly sensitive or dislike being disciplined, they are being psychologically abused by the people who are there to protect them.

“For the past 140 years, the NSPCC has been working tirelessly to prevent abuse, change the law and support children at risk, but the charity knows that strong communities are at the heart of keeping children safe.

“That is why the charity is encouraging everyone to play their part and support Childhood Day. £4 raised could help a Childline counsellor answer a call to a child in need of help.”

Lidl GB is sponsoring the NSPCC’s Childhood Day for a third year as retail sponsor. Lidl GB has been partnered with the NSPCC for 7 years and is currently supporting young people with their mental health by raising money for Childline. Lidl GB will be helping to raise awareness of Childhood Day, as well as holding their own activities with their colleagues and customers across Great Britain to help raise vital funds.

Mark Newbold, Lidl GB Senior CSR Manager, said: “We’re proud to be backing Childhood Day for the third year in a row, rallying our colleagues and customers in support of such a vital cause – protecting young people.

“No child facing abuse or feelings of isolation should ever have to struggle alone. Childline is a lifeline for so many young people, and we hope that through our partnership with the NSPCC and continued support with raising funds, children who need somewhere to turn can get help quickly.”

To find out more on how to get involved in Childhood Day this year including taking part Childhood Day Mile or volunteering at a collection point visit:

 www.nspcc.org.uk/support-us/charity-fundraising/childhood-day/