College donation to have major impact on child protection in North Wales

THE £115,000 donation of a North Wales college to a child protection charity will have a huge impact on thousands of young people across the region.

Coleg Cambria raised the staggering amount after a year of challenges and activities for NSPCC Cymru/Wales.

The charity, which also provides the free and confidential Childline counselling service, has bases in Prestatyn and Cardiff and carries out work to protect children in schools and communities across the country.

Cambria’s chief executive David Jones witnessed how vital every penny is to the service when he met with managers, counsellors and volunteers this week.

“It was an honour to spend time with the amazing team in Prestatyn and hear how vital this charity is to the people of North Wales,” he said.

“Our students and employees had a lot of fun in raising money for the NSPCC last year but for all of us it was not just about raising money, it was about raising awareness to the incredible work they do here.

“We are a caring organisation and that was reflected in the total amount, so to be able to meet with the staff and volunteers today and see the impact our contribution will have makes me proud.”

Mr Jones added: “We plan to collaborate with NSPCC Cymru/Wales and Childline over the coming months and celebrate our year of fundraising.

“The money will be used to support young people and families across North Wales; we will reveal more in the coming weeks.”

The college – which has sites in Northop, Deeside, Llysfasi and Wrexham – held a series of events and activities throughout 2018, including an evening with former Wales and British Lions rugby captain Sam Warburton, who supported the charity in his testimonial year.

Mr Jones also put his best feet forward for the year of challenges, along with his wife Julia, by completing a gruelling 48-mile trek across three counties in just 14 hours.

Other highlights were the 24-hour relay of sports and exercise, a bake-off, carol singing, sponsored walks, salsa dancing, head shaves, a tractor pull, a snookerthon, a 15-mile bath pull and the popular Christmas pantomime and festive markets.

Money raised by supporters like Coleg Cambria will help the NSPCC provide vital services like Childline and ‘Speak Out, Stay Safe’ which visited almost 75,000 children in more than 465 Welsh primary school visits.

Specially-trained staff and volunteers from NSPCC Cymru/Wales have visited 59 schools across Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham during the last academic year, directly speaking to 9,903 pupils in both English and Welsh about the importance of telling a trusted adult or Childline if something is worrying them.

Des Mannion, head of NSPCC Cymru/Wales, said: “Our supporters, like David and Coleg Cambria’s staff and students, allow the charity to make a difference the lives of young people as we fight for every childhood in Wales and beyond.

“This donation from Coleg Cambria, achieved in just a year, is an incredible testament to their hard-work and means that we can offer services like Childline and Speak Out, Stay Safe to help as many young people as possible and make a difference to their lives.”