Tag: NSPCC

Film based on NSPCC ambassador’s life comes to Edinburgh

Newly released film Sulphur and White, which depicts a man’s journey from childhood abuse to eventual healing, is lauded by Edinburgh campaigner as the drama is screened in the city.

Ruth Moss, who lives in Edinburgh and is an honorary member of the NSPCC Council, praised the film after watching it and meeting David Tait, whose story of trauma to eventual healing is portrayed through the deeply personal screen drama.

The brutally honest yet inspiring film, which shows the impact of child sexual abuse on David’s life, is being screened at Vue Cinema, Edinburgh Omni Centre, on Tuesday (March 17), with 20% of ticket sales going to the children’s charity.

The film about David, an NSPCC ambassador and fundraiser, was directed by BAFTA and Emmy Award nominee Julian Jarrold and written by Susie Farrell. Actors starring in the film include Mark Stanley, Emily Beecham, Dougray Scott and Anna Friel.

Ruth, who met David at the film’s premiere in Glasgow, said: “David spent many years with this as a hidden secret, and I really hope this film encourages people that have gone through similar dreadful experiences to realise that there’s no better time to speak out, even if it’s been a long time since that experience took place.

“This film is powerful, it has impact and it provides a real message. It’s a film that everyone should watch and will come out feeling different from when they went in.”

David, who has raised more than £1.5 million for the children’s charity, said: “I backed Sulphur and White being made because I wanted people to understand the reality of child sexual abuse and the collateral damage it can cause. I also wanted to show people that there is redemption and a future.

“I’m hoping the film will encourage people with hidden pasts to talk about their own problems and it will give them comfort going forward.

“The NSPCC and Childline is such an incredibly important resource for children these days – that they can reach out for help and there is someone there to listen to them and support them.”

Last year, over 500 children and young people in Scotland contacted Childline about sexual abuse. During the same period, Police Scotland recorded more than 5,000 sexual offences against children.

Matt Forde, national head of service for NSPCC Scotland, said: “It is so important that people feel that if they speak out they will be listened to and believed, however much time has passed since the abuse happened.

“We hope that David’s story will give people the courage to do so, and that they will receive the support they need.

“We are also extremely grateful for David’s incredible support and fundraising feats for the charity.”

Since leaving his role as a city trader, David has raised money for the children’s charity by climbing Mount Everest on five occasions and was the first person to complete the North-South traverse. He was awarded an MBE by The Queen for his services to children.

He continues to be a significant figure for the NSPCC, speaking personally about his experiences to raise awareness and champion its work at events throughout of the UK.

Mark Stanley, who plays David on screen, said: “I hope that people watching Sulphur and White will gain some of the insight and understanding that I got from playing this part about the profound impact of child sexual abuse.” 

Sulphur and White in Vue Cinema, Edinburgh Omni Centre on Tuesday (March 17) at 7.30pm. https://www.myvue.com/cinema/edinburgh-omni-centre/film/sulphur-and-white/times

Facebook not safe for kids, says charity poll

  • Poll shows majority of adults believe Facebook is failing in its duty of care to protect children
  •  Three out of four don’t think Facebook is safe for children
  • NSPCC urges Facebook to rethink encryption plans or face tough sanctions from new regulator

The NSPCC has slammed Facebook’s encryption plans after three out of four adults polled in Scotland said they didn’t think the site was safe for children.

Out of 180 adults in Scotland, just one in five (22%) said the tech giant took the safety of children using the site seriously and two thirds (66%) believed the platform was failing in its duty of care to protect children.

The results for Scotland were similar to those of the whole Great Britain sample, which consisted of 2,070 adults.

The claims came in an NSPCC/ Savanta ComRes poll following the tech giant’s announcement that they will encrypt messages on Facebook and Instagram.

The charity previously revealed that one in 25 young people (11 to 17 year olds) who used Facebook or Facebook Messenger had sent, received or been asked to send sexual content to an adult.

It is now warning the tech giant not to create hiding places for abusers by pressing ahead with encryption plans that don’t have strong safeguards in place.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who admitted that his plans would protect the “privacy of people doing bad things”, has failed to give any clear answers in how he intends to stop groomers preying on children on his site.

The NSPCC is calling for supporters to sign an open letter to Facebook demanding they put children first as part of its Wild West Web campaign.

Andy Burrows, NSPCC head of child safety online policy, said: “Facebook has been called out for its abject failure to make their platforms safe, yet their encryption plans will give offenders a free pass to abuse children while they look the other way.

“This cavalier approach risks creating a one stop grooming shop if Facebook don’t include strong safeguards that protect children in their encryption plan.

“Boris Johnson must make it clear that upcoming regulation will force Facebook to guarantee children’s safety on its messaging services or be hit hard in the pocket for failing in its duty of care.”

The NSPCC is calling for:

  • No end-to-end encryption for messages going to or coming from children’s accounts on Facebook apps
  • Adults accounts not to be encrypted until and unless Facebook has solutions to ensure child abuse can be detected and that children safety won’t be compromised
  • The Government to push ahead with introducing an independent Duty of Care regulator to keep children safe online
  • The Government to warn Facebook that encryption breaches the incoming Duty of Care and pressing ahead will mean tough consequences

Sharp rise in child cruelty and neglect crimes in last year

Recorded child cruelty and neglect offences in Scotland rose by more than a quarter in the last year, the NSPCC reports. There were 818 child cruelty and neglect offences recorded in Scotland in 2018/19 and 640 recorded in 2017/18 – a 28 per cent increase. Continue reading Sharp rise in child cruelty and neglect crimes in last year

NSPCC ‘Letter from Santa’ mailroom opens-up for festive fun

Charity has delivered over 120,000 Christmas messages to children across the Scotland since 2001 

A great Christmas tradition is up and running again, with the NSPCC mailroom now taking orders for their ‘Letter from Santa’ for children around the UK.  

Since 2001 the charity has delivered 121, 407 festive messages from Father Christmas across the Scotland, bringing huge joy to the lucky recipients.   Continue reading NSPCC ‘Letter from Santa’ mailroom opens-up for festive fun

NSPCC’s Letter from Santa

Dear Editor,

As Christmas draws ever nearer, why not get the little ones excited for the big day with a Letter from Santa? It’s a great way to bring joy to your own family, whilst knowing you’re making a positive difference to the lives of children who may need it most this Christmas.

The letters can be tailored to your child with name, age, hobbies and a personal message to get Christmas in your household off to a magical start. There are eight new designs to choose from including Reindeer Flying Practice’, ‘Christmas Disco’ and ‘Elves are Ready to Go!’

We know that on average at least two children in every primary school classroom has suffered some form of abuse. You can help us be there for them and provide the necessary support at Christmas and all year round. For every Letter from Santa, we suggest a donation of £5, which goes a long way to helping children.

With £8 we can cover the cost for our volunteer counsellors to answer two calls to the NSPCC’s Childline service. On average, a child contacts Childline every 25 seconds. It provides a safe, confidential place for children with no one else to turn to, whatever their worry, whenever they need help. They can get in contact 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk.

A £10 donation could help us answer two calls to the free NSPCC Helpline from adults worried about a child. It is open every day of the year for any adult worried about a child on 0808 800 5000 or nspcc.org.uk. Our practitioners provide advice and support, listen to concerns about a child, and offer general information about child protection.

To get creating your family’s personalised Letter from Santa, and start spreading the festive cheer, visit the NSPCC website.

Paul Cockram,

Head of fundraising for NSPCC Scotland

15 sex crimes against a child recorded EVERY DAY in Scotland

Recorded sexual offences against children have reached an all-time high, data obtained by the NSPCC has revealed.

In Scotland, there were 5,325 recorded offences including rape, grooming and sexual assault against children in 2018/19. Across the UK, in the same period, there were 76,204 of these offences – an average of one every seven minutes. Continue reading 15 sex crimes against a child recorded EVERY DAY in Scotland

Lidl offers children the chance to make breakfast time a better time at school


Lidl is giving primary school children across Scotland the chance to win £5,000 of vouchers to be spent on providing a better breakfast for their fellow pupils.

The supermarket is running the nationwide competition with its charity partner, the NSPCC, to give a boost to one school’s Breakfast Club. Continue reading Lidl offers children the chance to make breakfast time a better time at school