Esther Rantzen Visits Manchester ChildLine
Dame Esther Rantzen, visited Manchester today to thank volunteers for dedicating their time throughout the year and over the festive season.
The ChildLine Founder spent the afternoon meeting staff and volunteers, hearing about their experiences of helping children who have contacted the service. In Manchester in particular, ChildLine is looking for volunteers who can give some time in the evening and at weekends.
In an interview with Key 103 Dame Esther said:
“I think people think Christmas is the happiest time of the year and for many people it is, getting together and giving each other presents, but if your family isn’t like that and if there is violence or unhappiness at home, abuse of neglect then the fact that Christmas is perceived as a time of love and happiness, makes it even more painful”
She added: “I remember one young woman said to me that all through her childhood it was like being in a very cold dark street looking into a shop window and knowing you could never be in that light warm happy place.”
The importance of more volunteers getting involved was stressed, particularly at this time of the year, as no child should go without help over Christmas:
“We desperately need more volunteers because currently only 3 out of 4 children who need ChildLine get through to them, with volunteers they will be able to answer every child who needs to get through to them.”
During the 12 days of Christmas last year, ChildLine’s Manchester base counselled over 1,000 children who were in danger or distress and had nowhere else to turn. Children and young people called the service about a wide range of issues from bullying, family relationship issues, to serious abuse.
ChildLine in Manchester currently has 150 committed volunteers, who offer support and advice to young people online and over the phone and the service is now looking for more volunteers to support them, for a variety of shifts available across the week. Volunteers are particularly needed for weekend shifts, which are often busy periods when many children contact the service.
Rose a volunteer telephone councillor at ChildLine said:
“Despite it being Christmas, many children still need someone at the end of the phone, on Christmas day and I made a commitment to be there for the children”.
Listen to the rest of this interview;