Tag: support

Hearts fan shares MND diagnosis

Lifelong Heart of Midlothian supporter, Stevie Morris, is speaking out about his diagnosis of motor neurone disease (MND) to raise awareness, in support of the Club’s partnership with MND Scotland. 

Thanks to an innovative sponsorship deal with Dell Technologies, MND Scotland’s logo is taking pride of place on the front of the Hearts home kit for the 2021/22 season. To help raise more awareness, Stevie, from Mid Calder, is sharing his experience of living with MND and what the partnership means to him and his family.

Before being diagnosed with MND, the Tynecastle Park season ticket holder used to love playing sport, including football, walking football and golf multiple times a week. 

He said: “I used to live a very active life before my diagnosis, and it has been really tough having my ability to play sport gradually fade away to the point where I just can’t do it anymore.

“I’m someone who likes to take care of their garden, but this past gardening season I was even starting to find mowing the lawn to be too much.”

Stevie, who is married to Mary (61) and dad to Craig (37), used to attend every Hearts game, both home and away, but due to his worsening condition, is sadly unable to travel to watch away games anymore. 

“Hearts has always been a huge part of my life. It’s really important to me and I used to love travelling to the games on the Livingston Hearts supporter’s bus, but I can’t do that now. The walk to the ground from the bus is just too far. Even going to home games, I have to get dropped off right at the entrance and am in the process of moving my season ticket seat, so I don’t have to walk as far.

“Right now, I am still able to get down to the pub on a Sunday to watch other TV games, something I’m still really glad I can do.”

Stevie first suspected something was wrong during a round of golf, when he experienced a freezing cold sensation in his foot, something which seemed even more unusual given the warm weather on the day. 

He said: “From visiting my doctor to being diagnosed took around nine months in total. There was a lot of testing involved and other things that had to be ruled out. At first, I thought it might have been a trapped nerve but sadly it was more serious than that.”

Stevie was diagnosed with MND in February 2021 and less than a year on is having difficulty getting up and down stairs, as well as relying on a breathing machine at night. 

“Being diagnosed with MND was devastating obviously. It just floored us and the whole family went through a period of complete disbelief. Although I found it very difficult to tell my family and friends, the hardest part was definitely having to tell my dad.

“For the past three games, I’ve taken my dad for hospitality at Hearts, which has been an amazing experience for us both and something very special we could do together.” 

Stevie and his son Craig are extremely happy about the partnership between Hearts and MND Scotland and have both got the strip with the charity logo. 

He continued: “MND is a horrible disease. For my team to be involved in such a positive and direct way is tremendous. I hope the money raised from the partnership will allow MND Scotland to continue helping people in my situation. The support and services they provided me with really helped to take a load off my family – they are magnificent. 

“I hope the message gets through that MND can affect anyone. I’m a fan, who is there every week. I’m your midweek, go to Inverness or Ross County fan. I’m a fan that will have a sing a long on the supporter’s bus, and a beer before and after the match. Hearts are my team. My wish is that no one else misses out on future games because of MND.” 

MND Scotland’s Head of Fundraising, Iain McWhirter, said: “Our partnership with Hearts has been amazing so far, and both the club and its supporters have played an enormous role in our effort to raise vital awareness and funding, to help change the lives of people living with MND today.

“I want to thank Stevie for bravely speaking out about his story and sharing his experience with us.”

To help people like Stevie, and to join MND Scotland’s search for a cure, please donate today.

Scottish Football spreads Christmas cheer through Festive Friends campaign

  • Over 3,000 people will be supported by Festive Friends this year
  • A record £100,000 has been committed to this year’s campaign
  • More community trusts and SPFL clubs than ever involved (41)
  • This year’s campaign will see the continuation of last year’s doorstep visits to people who are at risk of social isolation
  • Some clubs will host festive events again for the first time since last year

SPFL clubs and associated community trusts (ATCs) across Scotland are bringing Christmas cheer to those that need it most this year by taking part in the biggest ever Festive Friends programme during the holiday season.

Festive Friends is a brilliant opportunity for clubs to give back to their local communities.

The programme is now in its sixth year, with 41 SPFL clubs taking part in the campaign this year.

The campaign has the largest fund ever this year, a total of £100,000, which means the SPFL Trust will be able to more than DOUBLE the number of people clubs are able to support.

As such, the programme is expected to support over 3,000 people this year.

It’s been a tough few years for everyone due to Covid-19, but of course it has been especially difficult for the elderly who are at higher risk of social isolation.

Festive Friends brings Christmas cheer and companionship to elderly people who are socially isolated and at risk of being alone during the festive season.

Almost 4,000 people have enjoyed an event in the last five years and last year’s new-look initiative, when it was not possible to hold events due to physical distancing rules, was also a huge success with over 2,800 people receiving Christmas hampers in doorstep visits.

Hampers contained food, snacks, essential toiletries, gifts, games and more. Some clubs even brought video messages from managers and players; others had players make personal deliveries.

This year club staff and volunteers will continue to visit participants with hampers, or welcome them to their ground to enjoy a hot Christmas lunch, fun and games, a club gift, and transport there and home.

Tommy (84), who lives in rural Perthshire, received a Christmas hamper from St Johnstone Community Trust ‘Saints in the Community’ last year.

Tommy self isolated during the first national lockdown in Spring 2020. The lack of social interaction and the loss of his beloved football had taken its toll on him physically and mentally.

He was thrilled to receive a hamper which was packed with festive goodies, a memory lane activity book, and a bonus video message from first-team player Stevie May.

Tommy said: “The gift box was full of lovely stuff. I like when Saints come to visit and we can have a chat about the games. I don’t always remember all the scores, but Danny [former St Johnstone FC player Danny Griffin] keeps me right.

“The wee activity book took me back, it’s no substitute for talking to others about the game, but it brought back nice times.”

https://youtu.be/9sK5CbHVALU

SPFL Trust CEO, Nicky Reid, said: “Festive Friends is a real highlight of the year for me and my colleagues at SPFL clubs. It’s all about good old fashioned Christmas spirit – bringing club staff and volunteers together to reach elderly people who are at risk of social isolation.

“Scottish football is trusted to support, and our recent research shows that almost 83% of people live within ten miles of a SPFL ground – because of this clubs and their associated community trusts are well positioned to effect this type of change in their communities.

“This year 41 SPFL clubs are involved making it our biggest programme yet, supported by a record breaking fund of £100,000. We look forward to supporting more elderly people than ever before, after all kindness never mattered more.”

For more information on Festive Friends visit: 

www.spfltrust.org.uk/festivefriends

 

CAS launches Big Energy Saving Winter campaign

Citizens Advice Scotland has launched our Big Energy Saving Winter campaign, which encourages people to get advice amid soaring energy prices (writes CAS Chief Executive DEREK MITCHELL).

It comes after months of turmoil in the energy market, with Bulb being the biggest supplier so far to go out of business. The spike in global gas prices saw suppliers sell energy at unsustainable losses and that has led to a shrinking of the market, meaning not only less consumer choice but also bigger bills.

In October the energy price cap, put in place to protect consumers, rose by a record amount, just as people faced a perfect storm of rising inflation and falling incomes due to things like the reduction of Universal Credit by £20 per week.

As we reveal, this all adds up to more than 1 in 3 of us finding bills unaffordable.

In polling for CAS by YouGov, people blamed rising energy prices and the cost of living, but also hard to heat homes and low incomes. Given there’s likely to be another rise in the Spring which on average will add around another £500 to bills, this situation will only get worse.

When we speak about energy bills in the winter, and Scotland’s unacceptable levels of fuel poverty, you’ll often see the cliché around “heating or eating”. But what feels like a cliché in the pages of a newspaper is the reality for too many people. 1 in 4 households were in fuel poverty before the pandemic, and as the snow begins to fall in parts of Scotland they face an incredibly rough winter.

In previous years this campaign would have encouraged people to “switch and save”. But due to the crisis in the market, the official advice is not to switch as many people will end up on a higher tariff.

Our campaign is about offering people solutions. Because that’s the good news: there is real help available. We want to ensure that people know they don’t have to feel powerless in the face of soaring bills.

There are various ways we can help them save energy, that’ll have the benefit of saving the planet as well – something to consider with COP 26 fresh in our minds.

CABs can also unlock money for people through things like social security, employment entitlements and debt reductions. In fact during the pandemic our network unlocked around £147m for people in Scotland.

So our campaign is all about making people aware of this help so they can access it.

You’ll possibly see your local CAB out in your community in the next few weeks, pushing the same message. Hopefully we’ll manage to provide some relief to at least some of the people who are suffering the cold.

So please help spread the message of our campaign. Tell your friends and family about it, re-tweet us (@citadvicescot), and if you’re in a position to amplify it in any other way, please do.

In the longer term, we need policies ensure consumers are protected and bills don’t eat up as much of people’s household income.

Until then the CAB network is here to help, as we have for over 80 years. 

National Grief Awareness Week – 78% of us have NEVER spoken to a GP about bereavement

At the start of National Grief Awareness Week, Cruse Bereavement Support and the Royal College of GPs are announcing an exciting new partnership to strengthen bereavement support and understanding of grief for people across the UK.

In an important step for UK healthcare, the partnership aims to highlight just how impactful grief can be on a person’s physical and mental health.

New research released today by Cruse, shows that over three-quarters of adults in Britain (78%) have never spoken to a GP about a bereavement*.

With this staggering figure in mind, Cruse and the RCGP are making clear to people who may need additional support after experiencing a bereavement, whether recent or in the past, that they can connect with their GP practice team.

This will give GP teams the opportunity to identify people who may need additional support from bereavement services as well as offering information and advice on support available.

With support from a grant of more than £574,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund the largest funder of community activity in the UK, this campaign will supply GPs nationwide with a toolkit supporting them to provide consistent and compassionate support for grieving patients.

The toolkit also provides information and products for patients and healthcare staff – including an animation on the new partnership, a patient poster for all GP surgeries on bereavement and grief and a VBA (very brief advice) card for practice staff.

Sadly, nearly everyone will be affected by bereavement at some point in their life and it is vital that the right support is available and known for people who need it.

This exciting initiative delivered by Cruse Bereavement Support in partnership with The RCGP, is a big step toward ensuring healthcare groups and bereavement support charities are working in partnership to provide the best bereavement support for grieving people.

Steven Wibberley, Chief Executive of Cruse Bereavement Support comments: “Understanding grief and how it can affect your health is the first step towards getting the support you need – and GPs and practice teams can play a really important role in helping grieving people with this.

“That’s why we are so pleased to be collaborating with the RCGP in this important campaign to bridge the gap between healthcare and bereavement support. It’s our hope that this partnership will also ensure all grieving people, especially those who may feel alone and unsure of where to get help, are able to access the right support when they so desperately need it.”

Dr Catherine Millington-Sanders, Clinical Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care for the Royal College of General Practitioners comments: “After a bereavement, it’s natural to want and ask for support. Many people find support from their friends, family or community networks but others may be really struggling with their grief and find more formal support helpful.

“GP practices are a valued and important source of information, support and advice in our communities. This work between the RCGP and Cruse aims to equip GP practice teams with the tools to help identify people with bereavement needs and accessible information to sign-post people to appropriate bereavement support, ensuring the bereaved person is at the centre of every step.”

Military deployed in Scotland to aid Storm Arwen response

A total of 134 personnel from across the services have been deployed to the Grampian region to check on vulnerable people in their homes and to conduct door-to-door checks on over 4,000 homes.

The military will also provide welfare and humanitarian support for remote communities and are on standby to deliver further support and vital supplies if needed.

Teams of 10 will deploy to remote communities across the region who have been impacted by the loss of power and water following the storm.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “We are always ready to provide extra support to civil authorities across the UK in their time of need and it’s great to see units based in Scotland supporting their local communities.

“Our dedicated Armed Forces will conduct door-to-door checks on people in their homes, providing essential support to those impacted by Storm Arwen.”

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “Once again our fantastic British Armed Forces have stepped up to support communities in times of need.

“As well as having been front and centre of the COVID-19 recovery efforts, I’m very pleased they are also able to help those in the Grampian region suffering disruption caused by Storm Arwen.

“We are incredibly fortunate in the UK in having such committed, skilled and willing military personnel to support us in such challenging times.”

There are thousands of military personnel on standby to support resilience tasks across the UK including the response to the coronavirus. There are over 300 personnel currently supporting health boards in Scotland with the vaccine rollout and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Locations who will benefit from military assistance include Aboyne, Alford, Banchory, Banff, Ellon, Fraserburgh, Huntly, Inverurie, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff and Westhill.

This support has been provided through a Military Aid to the Civilian Authorities request which is the official process for MOD to provide assistance to other government departments and civil authorities for responding to emergencies, maintaining supplies and essential services during a crisis.

Those deployed come from units based in Scotland including 39 Engineer Regiment, 3 Scots and 45 Commando. Some of the marines from 45 Commando have recently returned from cold weather training.

The Ministry of Defence is also engaged with a number of local authorities in northern England who have been affected by Storm Arwen to identify where it would be appropriate to support.

Over the past five days, emergency teams have been working tirelessly to restore power in affected areas. Around 1 million people have been affected in total and power has now been restored to 98% of those affected.

Multi-agency response to Storm Arwen continues

The multi-agency response to return power to communities across the North East of Scotland is ongoing.

Anyone without power can refer to Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) for updates on power cuts and the welfare support available.

The Aberdeenshire Council assistance centre remains open, between 8am and 8pm, to provide help to residents. They are contactable on 0808 1963 384 and information about rest and welfare centres is also available on their website.

Chief Superintendent George Macdonald said: “The damage caused by Storm Arwen has been unprecedented and has required significant repairs to be undertaken across the power, water and communications networks.

“The Strategic Local Resilience Partnership has met almost 20 times since last Friday, in preparation for and in response to the weather. The partnership involves local authorities, health and social care partnerships, emergency services, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, NHS, Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks, Scottish Water, SEPA, Forestry and Land Scotland, British Red Cross, and other local voluntary organisations. Together we are all committed to providing ongoing support to those affected by the power outage.

“Rest centres, which have been in place since the weekend, remain in place in a number of locations where SSEN advise full power has yet to return. There has been a significant humanitarian effort in response to the storm, with volunteers from across the partnership carrying out welfare checks on those without power, including more than 1,800 people who were identified as potentially vulnerable.”

Chief Superintendent Macdonald continued: “We recognise that this has been a very challenging time for everyone who has been without power and water for a long time. Due to the ongoing challenges and uncertainty around when supplies will be fully restored, which has added to the complexity of the response, the partnership has deemed it proportionate and necessary to seek additional humanitarian support from the military and we are grateful for their assistance.

“The scale of damage and difficult weather conditions have added to the challenges of restoring power, however there is an absolute commitment from all agencies to do this as quickly as possible and to continue providing support as we work towards a return to normality.”

Chief Superintendent Macdonald has also praised the community support and effort that has been seen since the storm hit the North East. He said: “The sense of community spirit has been fantastic to see and there has been numerous examples of kindness and selflessness in the face of real difficulties.

“Members of the public, businesses and volunteers have come together in true North East style, including helping my officers during the storm by providing additional torches, cut back or move fallen trees and branches and other examples of basic support, kindness and practical assistance which I know has been really appreciated and made officers jobs so much easier. Thank you.”

‘We’re proud of all of our teams’

Senior NHSGGC clinicians write to First Minister and Cabinet Secretary over ‘unfounded criticism’ by politicians and in media

Senior clinicians from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf, to express their disappointment and frustration about the way in which their work and integrity have been portrayed in the Scottish Parliament and the media in recent days.

Here is the full text of that letter:

Dear First Minister and Cabinet Secretary,
 
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital/Royal Hospital for Children
 
As NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde clinicians and clinical leaders, we write to express our immense disappointment and frustration about the way in which our hospitals, our colleagues and the treatment of our patients is being portrayed in the press and the chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
 
Our highly specialist services care for, treat and support some of the most vulnerable adults, young people and children in the country. Our sole aim is to deliver high quality, person centred care to our patients and focus on what matters most to them; fundamental to this is the strong working relationship between our clinical teams and infection control teams to keep our patients safe.
 
We have been, and remain, fully committed to being completely open and transparent in all that we do and we are dismayed that the integrity of our staff has been repeatedly called into question. Do we always get everything right when we discuss issues with families? Perhaps not. Do we ever wilfully withhold information from them? Absolutely not. 
 
We have grave concerns that the continued undermining nature of the current negative headlines will result in an erosion of trust between clinical staff and patients and their families. Indeed, we have already seen evidence of the impact this is having on individual patients and carers, with staff reporting that families are very anxious about the safety of their relative while in our care.
 
We are particularly disappointed that individual patients are being discussed in Parliament without the knowledge of the families concerned, causing untold distress to families already grieving the loss of their loved one.  
 
This unfounded criticism of our clinical teams and staff as well as the safety of our hospitals, is also hugely detrimental to staff morale at a time when so much is being asked of them.

Our staff across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, including the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus, provide professional, dedicated care to their patients and as we prepare for a challenging winter, this sustained criticism of our staff is undoubtedly causing them distress and worry.
 
We are proud of all of our teams, many of which include leading specialists, but we fear that such negativity will have an enormous impact on our ability to recruit and retain such skilled individuals in the future as well as those of wider clinical, nursing and support staff. We will always treat our patients with integrity, dignity, respect and honesty and this should never be in doubt.
           
We accept that there will always be improvements we can make and learning we can implement, but at the heart of all that we do, is the commitment from every clinician working within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to provide the best quality of care for all of our patients and to be open and honest with them and their loved ones about their diagnosis and treatment.

Anything less would undermine the professional code of practice each of us sign up to at the start of our careers and adhere to throughout.
 
Yours sincerely
  
 
Dr Jennifer Armstrong, Medical Director
Dr Margaret McGuire, Nurse Director
Dr Scott Davidson, Deputy Medical Director (Acute)
Angela O’Neill, Deputy Nurse Director (Acute)
Dr Chris Deighan, Deputy Medical Director (Corporate)
Dr Kerri Neylon, Deputy Medical Director, Primary Care
Mr Wesley Stuart, Chief of Medicine, South Sector
Dr Claire Harrow, Chief of Medicine, Clyde Sector
Ann-Marie Selby, Interim Associate Chief Nurse Clyde Sector
Hon. Professor Colin McKay, Chief of Medicine, North Sector
John Carson, Chief Nurse, North Sector
Hon. Professor Alistair Leanord, Chief of Medicine, Diagnostics
Dr Alan Mathers, Chief of Medicine, Women and Children’s Services
Morag Gardner, Chief Nurse, South Sector
Mandy Meechan, Interim Chief Nurse, Women and Children’s (designate)
Patricia Friel, Interim Chief Nurse, Women and Children Services
Dr David Dodds, Chief of Medicine, Regional Services
Lorna Loudon, Interim Chief Nurse, Regional Services
Dr Martin Culshaw, Associate Medical Director, Mental Health
Gail Caldwell, Director of Pharmacy
Fiona Smith, AHP Director
Evelyn Frame, Chief Midwife
Margaret Connelly, Assistant Chief Nurse, Governance and Regulation
Lesley Rousselet, Chair, Area Clinical Forum

Councillors approve a one-year pilot for Winter Festivals

Councillors yesterday gave unanimous backing to a proposed route map for the future of Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals, following the findings of a major independent survey.

The results, published last week, revealed overwhelming support from residents and organisations for continuation of Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations in the Capital, but with a revised format. Councillors from across all political parties have endorsed the findings and agreed to run a one-year pilot .

For winter 2022/23, a procurement exercise will be undertaken to identify a producer to deliver Edinburgh’s Christmas and an individual or organisation will be appointed to a Winter Festivals Director role.

The All Party Oversight Group (APOG) will now agree the brief for these appointments using the clear feedback from the consultation to ensure that it meets the needs of residents and businesses and is of appropriate scale.

More than 8,600 people and 35 organisations responded to the survey on the future of Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals, with 87% expressing support for a Christmas celebration and 86% for Hogmanay.

The 12-week consultation, carried out in Spring this year by independent market research company Progressive Partnership on behalf of the Council, sought feedback from the Capital’s residents, communities and businesses on the events from 2022 onwards.

Overall, results showed a wish to continue to provide high quality Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations which will in turn be valued by residents and visitors.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “When we agreed to run a citywide conversation with our residents, businesses and stakeholders on the future of Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals we had a very open mind on what the format of these events could be in future years. 

“We had an excellent response to the consultation, and it was encouraging that so many want to see Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations continue in the years ahead, while providing us with a valuable insight into what exactly people and businesses would like to see changed. 

“I know there are lots of differing views on major events, such as Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay, but it has been encouraging to see this level of input from people of all ages and from right across the City into the consultation.

“Whilst some differences of opinion can’t be reconciled, the input from people has set a road for these events to reflect residents’ aspirations for these celebrations for future years while dealing with concerns raised about previous years.

“Our focus here is firmly on our residents and local businesses. If we get it right for them first and foremost, then these events will be enjoyed for many years to come.”

Council Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “We’re very pleased to see such a large and positive response to the consultation and that the majority want Edinburgh to keep its place on the international map for Christmas celebrations and as home of Hogmanay.

“There’s no doubt that our Winter Festivals deliver real economic impact, benefitting tourism, retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in particular. However, taking heed of the findings and looking ahead to events next year we’ll be looking to share these benefits and look to spread events across our town centres and communities.

“Thanks to the feedback already gathered, we’ll now be able to take people’s comments and ideas into account as we plan for next year, and beyond. Making sure we have a great winter festival and Edinburgh remains the best city to visit!”

Find out more about the consultation responses.

Dame Esther sends message of support to children in Scotland

  • December 2020 saw Childline deliver a record number of counselling sessions across the UK for a single month*
  • NSPCC launches its ‘Here for Children’ TV Christmas Appeal
  • On 21st December, NSPCC supporters will take to the streets to walk 5K so the NSPCC can be here for children this Christmas, as landmarks across the UK, including the Glasgow Science Centre and the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh, light up green in support of the charity 

Childline is here for every child struggling or feeling alone this Christmas, is Dame Esther Rantzen’s message to children in Scotland after UK counselling sessions about loneliness peaked during last year’s festive period.

The NSPCC-run service Childline, which has bases in Aberdeen and Glasgow, can today reveal the service delivered a record number of almost 600 monthly sessions about this concern to children across the UK last December.

From April 2020 to March 2021 there were 6,039 counselling sessions about loneliness with children from across the UK, marking an all-time high for a single year. This is an increase of nearly half (49%) over the past four years.

The NSPCC has long highlighted that many children and young people struggle with loneliness and isolation. The data released today suggests that these feelings were exacerbated during the pandemic, as schools were closed, and they were forced to stay at home. Children shared with Childline’s counsellors that these experiences were particularly acute over the festive period, as households were unable to mix.

Dame Esther Rantzen, Founder of Childline said: “At Childline we know how painful Christmas can be for some children, particularly when the media is filled with pictures of families happily celebrating together, and they are feeling alone and unloved. A child once described it to us as like looking through a shop window where everything inside is warm and bright, and you are outside where it’s cold and dark. 

“The festive period can be especially difficult for children who are struggling with their mental health or are in homes that are unsafe. Given the impact of the pandemic, it is no surprise that this year we’ve seen record numbers of children from across the UK get in touch with us about loneliness.

“The lockdowns exacerbated these feelings for some young people, especially when schools had to close, and they couldn’t see the friends and family they loved and needed.

“Last Christmas was one of the toughest in living memory, bringing with it great sadness and challenges for many children. And we want to remind children in Scotland who are struggling or feeling alone that our Childline counsellors, working from bases across the UK including Glasgow and Aberdeen, are there for them whenever they need to talk to someone, and that they can contact us by phone or on-line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”

The charity can also reveal that loneliness is particularly affecting younger children. In 2020/21, there was a 47 percent increase in counselling sessions with children aged 11 and under when compared to the year before.

Young people who contacted Childline about loneliness also talked about being unhappy, feeling unloved and generally low. Some described it as a dark experience that was overwhelming. As well as loneliness, the top reasons children turn to the service for support with their mental health include anxiety and stress, low mood, and depression.

Childline is staffed by 1,200 Childline volunteer counsellors across the UK and last month celebrated its 35th birthday.

A 14-year-old boy from Scotland told a Childline counsellor: “I self-harmed a couple of days ago after being clean for a year and it triggered a panic attack. I think I self-harmed because I felt lonely and bored.

“I just don’t know what to do anymore and really regret what I have done. I am bored with life and am lonely because I don’t get to see anyone because of COVID. I don’t have the energy to arrange to meet up with anyone.”

In response to concerns about children this Christmas, the NSPCC has launched its ‘Here for Children’ TV Christmas Appeal. The advert sees Childline counsellors taking calls at Christmas from children struggling with loneliness and isolation, suicidal thoughts and feelings and physical abuse.

Christmas can be a very challenging time for children who suffer from abuse, neglect and are struggling with their mental health. Cut off from school and other support, it is vital they have somewhere to turn.

The NSPCC is reaching out to the public to support its Here for Children Appeal and make a donation, so Childline counsellors can answer a child’s call for help this Christmas.

Despite the challenges of the past 18 months, as well as seeking support from Childline counsellors, young people accessed Childline online resources, information, and tools to support their mental health in ways and at times that were most convenient and helpful to them.

Childline saw huge increases in the number of young people using the website to access information, advice and resources.

Landmarks light up green as people walk for children

On the 21st December, which is the longest night of the year, hundreds of people will walk 5K to support the NSPCC.

On this night, landmarks across the UK, including Glasgow Science Centre and the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh, are also supporting the charity by lighting up and turning the NSPCC’s trademark green colour. The people taking to the streets to walk and the landmarks lighting up green represent the hard-working Childline counsellors who are there for children, offering a beacon of light in their darkest times.

The Childline service is here for children every day, even on Christmas Day.

Children can contact Childline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When a child needs help, Childline can be a lifeline. When a child feels like they have nowhere else to turn to, it’s vital that the NSPCC is here, ready to listen and support children across the UK.