North Wales Childline volunteer invited to Buckingham Palace after counselling more than 1,600 children

North Wales Childline volunteer invited to Buckingham Palace after counselling more than 1,600 children

A Childline volunteer from North Wales enjoyed an evening at Buckingham Palace in recognition of nearly 20 years volunteering with the children’s helpline.

Chris Davies, 72, met the likes of Prince William, Prince Harry, the Duchess of Cambridge and rapper Professor Green during her time at the Royal household last month.

Mrs Davies, who volunteers from Childline’s Prestatyn base, also met the founder of the children’s helpline, Dame Esther Rantzen, during her time there.

Flintshire-based Mrs Davies had been nominated for a trip to Buckingham Palace after counselling more than 1,600 children since she started volunteering for Childline nearly 20 years ago.

“I go there every Wednesday afternoon and do my shift with Childline, but you don’t ever think of getting any kind of recognition,” she said.

“We all pat each other on the back after doing well on a shift, but you don’t expect anything from outside of that. It was such a shock.”

Speaking of the visit she said: “It was a great day there. As soon as I walked through the gates it was surreal, and it felt like I was walking on a spring carpet. It was just amazing.”

Last year mental/emotional health was the most common concern raised by children in Wales contacting Childline, with more than 2,100 counselling sessions carried out by volunteers from the children’s helpline, whilst bullying was the seventh most common concern with 463 counselling sessions for Welsh children and young people.

Mrs Davies was invited to Buckingham Palace on World Mental Health Day (October 10), with Prince William giving a speech about the issue and a host of organisations offering support attending the event.

Mrs Davies, who juggled work at the Bank of Scotland with volunteering before retiring, said that the reasons why children contacted Childline had changed dramatically over the years.

“When I first started volunteering it was bullying and now it’s more mental health,” she said.

“It was amazing to see so many people working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) at the palace.

“What impressed me most was a little girl who had used CAMHS all her life and now she was working for it as she wanted to give something back.”

Mum-of-four and grandmother of 11 Mrs Davies said the support offered by counsellors could make a massive difference to children and young people contacting Childline.

“You could be saving lives,” she said.

“You’re not just saving a life if someone contacts you feeling suicidal, but also if they’re suffering from depression, being bullied or anything else.

“So many young people contacting Childline just want someone to listen. You hear that a lot.

“They say no one listens to them, and people talk at them rather than to them.”

Childline is desperately appealing for more volunteers to come forward. If you would like to volunteer for the children’s helpline for just a few hours a week see the NSPCC website for more details https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/volunteering-nspcc-childline/volunteer-childline-helpline/