David, who is also chair of the NSPCC’s Building Brighter Futures Appeal Board, and Peter, will lead an intrepid team of 12 fundraisers across some of the vast Himalayas in March next year, with money raised from the event going towards the NSPCC’s Building Brighter Futures Appeal, which funds the development of services for children and young people in South Wales who have suffered emotional, physical and sexual abuse.
Chair of the NSPCC’s Building Brighter Futures Appeal, Sir Stanley Thomas OBE said: “I would personally like to thank the team of trekkers for taking on this challenge. By lending their support and raising vital funds, they will ensure that the NSPCC is one step closer to being able to give many more children and young people a chance to access life-changing help and support from the purpose-built centre in Cardiff”.
Des Mannion, NSPCC national head of service in Wales, said: “Thanks to the incredible generosity of supporters and donors, the appeal has already raised more than £3 million, which has enabled us to open our flagship centre for Wales, Diane Engelhardt House.”
The leading centre in Cardiff was designed with children at the forefront; it is bright, accessible and inviting – a place where children feel safe, comforted and more able to overcome the trauma they have experienced.
During times of economic hardship, the demand on support services for vulnerable children will inevitably increase. The charity needs to raise a further £1.25 million to continue to make a fundamental difference to the lives of vulnerable children and young people across South Wales by delivering pioneering services that focus on the most acute forms of abuse and the most vulnerable, highest-risk children.
David Pickering said: “As a father of four I know how precious children are and I want to be able to do everything I can to end cruelty to children in Wales, even trekking through Nepal with this daring team of fundraisers! Together we can help the NSPCC transform children’s lives and ultimately, what can be more important than that?”
Peter Thomas said: “That anyone would inflict pain upon a child is unthinkable. But the fact is that many thousands of children suffer harm every day. NSPCC services in Wales are already making a huge difference to the lives of children but it’s clear that there are still too many children suffering horrendously from abuse and neglect.”
In addition to working directly with young people, trained practitioners at the centre provide support to parents to help them understand the affects of abuse, how to take children out of an abusive environment and how to protect children from those who abuse.
Services that also operate out of the centre work with adults and children within families where there are concerns about sexual abuse alongside providing high quality assessments and treatment for young people who display sexually harmful behaviour.
By donating to the Building Brighter Futures Appeal, the public can help change a child’s life. To make a donation, please visit www.nspcc.org.uk/brighterfutures
