Newsquest’s front pages looked a little different last week, with a beachball balancing on the masthead. The publisher says it wasn’t celebrating summer, and nor was it a subeditor dreaming of his holiday, the ball was part of their partnership with the NSPCC and is the logo for Childhood Day – the charity’s flagship fundraising event.
The day took place on Friday, June 7 and as well as scores of Newsquest titles – such as the Southern Daily Echo, Hampshire Chronicle and Worcester News, plus many more, carrying its logo as a nod to the charity, staff from across the company went out collecting and volunteering in their communities, added the publisher. The NSPCC encouraged communities, schools, and businesses to come together with sponsored games and events and play their part in helping children have safe and happy childhoods.
The NSPCC is Newsquest’s Charity Partner of the Year. This is the first year that Newsquest has teamed up with a charity in this way, and throughout the year, it says it is giving the NSPCC more than £6 million in advertising, as well as encouraging its staff to volunteer their time.
Whether you support Childhood Day by donating, volunteering at a collection point or taking on the Childhood Day Mile, all funds raised will help the NSPCC deliver vital services, like Childline, which is available around the clock to support young people whenever they need it, added Newsquest.
Sir Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, said: “I’m delighted that we’re once again celebrating Childhood Day, an event which brings together communities across the UK to fundraise for the NSPCC.
“We are determined to ensure that every child is able to enjoy a safe and happy childhood but can only do this with the support of the general public. Everyone can play their part in helping keep children safe.”
Chief Executive Henry Faure Walker said: “It has been a pleasure to support the NSPCC – and it was a delight to see so many of the Newsquest titles sporting beachballs to mark Childhood Day.
“The charity does such exceptional work, helping to keep children safe and giving them a voice, that it was an obvious and worthy choice to support them as much as we could.”
The NSPCC was launched in 1884 and has helped millions of children during the last 140 years, while Childline was founded by Dame Esther Rantzen in 1986 and joined the charity in 2006.
Newsquest publishes more than 200 titles across the UK and says it has a monthly digital audience of over 50 million users. Newsquest claims that many of its local titles are read, online and in print, by more than 75 per cent of the local population.
