“Volunteers are the king-pin of Childline” – counsellors recognised for the life-changing impact they have on the lives of children

• Childline counsellors recognised as charity prepares to mark Volunteers Week
• Great-grandmother volunteers 2,250 hours to listen to worried children
• Childline Prestatyn is in need of new volunteers to help keep children safe

A great-grandmother from Flintshire has dedicated more than 23 years to volunteering with a child protection charity to help children in their darkest hours.

Chris Davies has clocked up around 2,250 volunteering hours since she started volunteering for Childline in 1998 and currently volunteers on the Wednesday afternoon shift.

“I started at Childline because it seemed like fate,” says Chris.

“I was working full-time at the Bank of Scotland at the time but I’d watched a TV programme about Childline, I read about it in the paper and then a flyer came through the door about volunteering.”

Childline Prestatyn is one of 12 Childline bases across the UK, delivering counselling sessions to children and young people about everything from abuse, neglect and suicide to relationship breakdowns, exam stress and mental health concerns.

Almost 90,000 counselling sessions have been delivered UK-wide in the last year about mental wellbeing and abuse alone, with the pandemic intensifying existing issues for some children or the reason behind emerging concerns.

Chris says: “Every volunteer has a massive impact as we are often the first person a child or young person has ever talked to about their particular concern. We listen. We do not judge. We empathise.”

Childline relies on volunteers to keep the service going and the base in Prestatyn depends on around 130 volunteers to help run the service. It’s in need of adults willing to spare a minimum of 4.25 hours a week to help it be there for children and young people in their moments of need.

Sally King-Sheard is the volunteer co-ordinator at Childline Prestatyn. She says: “This Volunteers Week (1-7June), it’s really important we recognise our incredible volunteers like Chris who give their time to help make a difference to the lives of children.

“Volunteers are the king-pin of Childline, they play such an important role and they can have such a life-changing impact on the young people they listen to.

“Chris is remarkable, she’s been volunteering with us for over two decades. She has been that listening ear for so many children during that time, selflessly giving her time to listen to whatever it is a young person has needed to share.”

Chris adds: “As a volunteer counsellor, you receive more than you give and I would recommend the volunteering experience you get at Childline.

“I am a proud mum of four children, 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren, but at Childline we are also like a family. We are close and respectful of one another and I have developed some loyal friends through my role there.”

For more information about volunteering for Childline and the comprehensive training package it includes, contact Sally.King-Sheard@nspcc.org.uk or 01745 772 101.

Another way to help support Childline is by fundraising for the NSPCC as it celebrates Childhood Day on June 11^th. The charity and its NSPCC Wales Ambassador for Childhood, Sam Warburton, are encouraging people to bring together family, friends and colleagues for a fundraising play activity of their choice whilst raising donations, which the NSPCC relies on for 90% of its income, to help keep all children across Wales safe.

Childline is available for young people on 0800 1111 or at www.childline.org.uk.

Anyone concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline for advice on 0808 800 5000. Adult victims of non-recent sexual abuse can also get in touch for support.