Wales’ leading retailer supports NSPCC campaign to help spot signs of violence – The Pembrokeshire Herald

ONE of Wales’ leading independent retailers is supporting an NSPCC campaign to help adults know what to do if they are worried about a child.

South Wales-based retailer Leekes is encouraging community groups, businesses and organizations to take part in the NSPCC’s Listen up Speak up campaign.

The campaign, which has been launched in Welsh and English, aims to help the public understand the signs that a child may be at risk and the steps to take through online workshops and training.

According to figures published by the NSPCC, more than a quarter of adults (29%) in Wales admitted they had concerns that their child might be the victim of abuse or neglect.

The YouGov survey of 3,999 adults in the UK, including 181 in Wales, also found that one in five British adults who had concerns did not take action.

Members of NSPCC Cymru’s Fundraising Board – including Emma Leek, managing director of Leekes Retail – attended a workshop last week where they were told about some of the risk signs that a child may be at risk, how to approach difficult conversations and who to contact if they are worried about a child or their family.

Emma said: “Listen, Speak, this is a really important campaign run by the NSPCC.

“It helps people spot the signs of abuse and be able to respond, which means more children will be safe.

“The workshops run by NSPCC Cymru were extremely valuable and I encourage all community groups, organisations, businesses and schools to take part.

“We all have a role to play in keeping children safe.”

The campaign, which was piloted last year in Newport, is now fully bilingual and includes workshops and online resources in Welsh.

Workshops are held on-site and online, and you can also take part in a 10-minute digital training session.

Lili Dunn, Local Campaigns Manager at NSPCC Cymru, said: “We believe everyone can play a part in keeping children safe by knowing what to do if a child is at risk.

“This may include providing practical support to the family, being a listening ear or telling someone about your concerns, such as a parent, sports club carer or even contacting the NSPCC helpline.

“We really want to reach as many people as possible with our workshops and would love to hear from any community groups, businesses or organizations that would like to host them.”

Other board members who took part in the workshop included Mike Parfitt, CEO and founder of Team Metalogic Ltd, one of Wales’ leading IT managed services providers, and Lisa Love-Gould, who was part of the team delivering the Covid vaccination program for vulnerable patients and staff of the Velindre Cancer Center.

Hywel Peterson, chairman of the fundraising board, added: “This training is essential so everyone knows what to do if they have concerns and will help protect more children from abuse and neglect.

“Whether running a workshop or taking a 10-minute digital training, we can all benefit from taking part.”