Breakfast DJ preparing to ‘Run the Diff’ for children’s charity

Breakfast DJ preparing to ‘Run the Diff’ for children’s charity

• The Cardiff University/Cardiff Half Marathon returns to the city’s streets on Sunday 7 October
• The NSPCC is the lead charity partner for Wales’ largest road race and the UK’s second biggest half marathon event in terms of participation
• General entry to the 13.1mile race around the Welsh capital is sold out, but a few NSPCC charity places remain up for grabs

Friday 10 August

A SOUTH Wales breakfast DJ will run this year’s Cardiff University/Cardiff Half Marathon in aid of NSPCC Cymru/Wales.

Presenter Polly James will raise funds for the leading child protection charity by taking part in the iconic event.

General entry is now sold out but the NSPCC, which is the half marathon’s lead charity partner, still has limited places remaining.

All money raised will go towards its groundbreaking services in Wales.

These include ‘Speak out Stay safe’, which sees specially trained staff and volunteers visiting primary schools across the country.

Each assembly they deliver equips pupils with the skills andknowledge they need to recognise abuse and speak out about it.

In 2016/17 alone the charity spoke to more than 58,000 children in over 490 Welsh primary visits.

Polly said:“When I was a kid I could have quite easily followed a different path but I was lucky to find athletics which kept me on the rails.

“Had it not have been for that organisation and the structure it brought to my life, who knows what services I might have needed.

“In the mornings I speak to young kids on the radio breakfast show and you don’t know what their stories are or what is happening in their lives but they are listening and I feel privileged to be able to reach out to them.”

Every step taken by anyone running for the NSPCC will help the charity in its fight for every childhood.

That support will also benefit three NSPCC service centres in Wales, which help vulnerable children and their families.

Protect and Respect is a programme which is run at all three bases, in Cardiff, Swansea and Prestatyn.

Supporting children and young people aged 11 to 19, the service is aimed at those who have been, or are at risk of being, sexually exploited.

Child sexual exploitation is a complicated issue, which is constantly changing. And texting, email and the internet means it can often be hidden.

Des Mannion, head of NSPCC Cymru/Wales, said:“The NSPCC carries out vital work across Wales with children in every community as well as providing specialist help through our three service centres.

“We know that abuse, unfortunately, happens all too often so an important part of our role is to prevent it from taking place and to help those who’ve experienced it to rebuild their lives.

“That’s the focus of Protect and Respect, which is just one of a number of services we deliver in Wales.

“Polly’s support is very much appreciated and we wish her the best of luck in the Cardiff Half.”

The Cardiff University/Cardiff Half Marathon takes place on Sunday 7 October and runners can sign up for the NSPCC here.