NSPCC Cymru/Wales fundraising colleagues took on their own challenge as part of the 2.6 Challenge on Sunday April 26 to help charities raise money at a time when funding has dropped significantly.
The children’s charity, which relies on public support for 90% of its income, would have had 500 supporters taking on the 40th London Marathon on that day, pushing themselves around the 26.2-mile course to raise money for #TeamNSPCC.
Head of Supporter Fundraising for Wales, Nigel Impey said: “The London Marathon raises around £1.2million for the NSPCC each year, and understandably that isn’t possible this year, so we’re encouraging people to support our charity in other ways, including virtual and home-based challenges.”
The NSPCC has been adapting the way it works so that it is still here for children and their families who need its support through its direct services, as well as its Childline service and the NSPCC Helpline for adults worried about the wellbeing of a child.
Colleagues in the charity’s community fundraising team are willing each other on for the marathon challenge by running, walking and hula hooping.
Emma Brennan, Supporter Fundraising Manager for Wales, said: “More children are reaching out to Childline worried about the Coronavirus, families are struggling to adapt to lockdown, and with schools closed many vulnerable children are at risk.
“We want to ensure we can continue to be here for children, so we organised our own challenge to celebrate how we can still be part of a team even if we aren’t all together, and to show how simple it is to get involved.”
The money raised will help support NSPCC services, including Childline which has seen an increasing number of contacts from children who feel anxious and scared about what’s happening.
Childline counsellors have answered calls from children trapped in homes that aren’t safe, and they’ve also spoken to children with suicidal thoughts and feelings, who feel they have no one else to turn to.
It costs £4 for a trained volunteer counsellor to answer a child’s call for help to Childline.
£27 could pay for a Childline supervisor for one hour, supporting volunteer counsellors.
£190 could pay for one Childline supervisor shift, supporting volunteer counsellors.
£1,250 could pay to run Childline for an average of one hour.
For more information on the 2.6 Challenge and to raise money for the charity, visit:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/two-point-six-challenge/