As we look forward to another year of delivering our Speak Out Stay Safe sessions, we’ve been reflecting on all the amazing work our volunteers have done over the last 18 months.

It’s been a busy year and a half for all of us in the NSPCC Schools Service.

With the help of our volunteers we have visited a staggering 116 primary schools in Cumbria in the last academic year alone.

This means that, between September 2017 and July 2018, we spoke to 16,028 children locally – and we’re delivering more sessions all the time.

Throughout the course of every visit we help children identify who they can speak to about what worries them – it can be a teacher, a parent, or a member of the wider family, to name just a few.

But we also know there are some things that are hard for children to talk about with the people they see day to day, which is why we let them know that they can always contact Childline when they need someone to speak to.

We do this because we know how important it is for children to understand that there is always someone to turn to, no matter what they’re feeling.

Because we never want a child to feel alone, or isolated, particularly when they are worried, upset or being hurt.

We would like to thank each and every one of our volunteers, who help deliver these very big messages to children in a fun, interactive and engaging way that is always age appropriate.

Their work is vital to our aim of keeping a whole generation of children safe, and for us to keep reaching as many children as possible we at the NSPCC are in desperate need of more schools service volunteers in Cumbria.

If you would like to join our fantastic team of volunteers in Cumbria please contact me by emailing Sally.ODonnell@NSPCC.org.uk

Sally O’Donnell

NSPCC Schools Service area coordinator for Cumbria