Liverpool buildings light up green for NSPCC

Landmarks across Liverpool will join dozens more across the UK in lighting up green this week in support of the NSPCC’s Christmas appeal.

This year has been tough for everyone, as the pandemic changed the way we live and Christmas is often a difficult time for children suffering abuse, neglect and poor mental health, with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic expected to put even more children at risk this year.

By lighting up sites across the country in the run-up to the festive period, the NSPCC wants to remind the public that the children’s charity is here for children, whenever they need support.

Liverpool City Council have agreed to light up the Town Hall, St George’s Hall and the Cunard Building green for the NSPCC on December 7, with Liverpool ONE and World Museum also going green for the charity.

The Merseyside venues join sites across the UK including the North East’s Tyne Bridge, York bar walls, Cardiff Castle, Alexandra Palace and Battersea Power Station in lighting up to support the NSPCC.

Deborah Sefton, fundraiser for the NSPCC, said:

“It’s really terrific to see Liverpool going green again for us this year, the sites really look amazing and serve as a reminder that the NSPCC is here for children, like a beacon of light at what can be a dark time of year.

“For thousands of children, being stuck at home for the holidays is a terrifying thought – and they urgently need their voices to be heard. We’re here for children this Christmas, protecting them from abuse and supporting them when they feel like they have nowhere else to turn. On the phone, online, wherever they need us to be, the NSPCC is here.”Donna Howitt, Marketing Director at Liverpool ONE, said: “We’re proud to be turning our lights green as a tribute to the fantastic work which the NSPCC does, helping to raise much-needed awareness of how children up and down the country really do rely on the charity’s vital services.”

Laura Pye, Director, National Museums Liverpool, which comprises eight venues including World Museum said:

“It has never been more important to support our communities and look after the most vulnerable. 2020 has been such a difficult year but we are shining a ray of hope for the way forward.

“It is so sad to hear that coronavirus has put even more children at risk of abuse, neglect and poor mental health. Together, we are raising awareness of this. We admire the vital work of the NSPCC and are proud to support them, and the children they help, at this time.”

Christmas can be a difficult time for children suffering abuse, neglect and poor mental health, and the impact of the Coronavirus looks likely to put even more children at risk this year.

Since lockdown began, Childline counsellors have delivered almost 43,000 sessions to young people concerned about their mental or emotional health, experiencing loneliness and low self-esteem or who felt they didn’t fit in or feel ‘normal’, and as the pandemic continues, we continue to hear from children who are struggling about all kinds of topics.

Last Christmas, there were 6,566 Childline counselling sessions (between December 24, 2019 and January 4, 2020), with a 26% increase in counselling sessions about suicidal thoughts and feelings compared to the previous Christmas. We don’t yet know how many children and young people will need us this year, but we’ll be there, ready to support them however we can.

We’re calling on the public to donate £20 to the NSPCC so ensure services like Childline can be here to hear children’s troubles at a time of year when it’s all too easy to feel isolated. Every £4 donated means a Childline counsellor can answer a call, email or message from a young person when they need us most, so a £20 donation will help five children this Christmas.