World Museum goes green to show the NSPCC is here for children this Christmas

World Museum in Liverpool will join dozens of landmarks 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.

World Museum, which is going green for the NSPCC on December 7, joins sites across the UK including North East’s Tyne Bridge, York bar walls, Cardiff Castle, Alexandra Palace and Battersea Power Station in supporting the charity.

Deborah Sefton, fundraiser for the NSPCC, said: “It’s really terrific to see World Museum go green for us this year, it really looks amazing and serves 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.”

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.

To find out how you can support the NSPCC this Christmas, to ensure we’re here for children when they need us most, go to www.nspcc.org.uk

About the NSPCC

The NSPCC is the leading children’s charity fighting to end child abuse in the UK and Channel Islands. Using voluntary donations, which make up around 90 per cent of our funding, we help children who’ve been abused to rebuild their lives, we protect children at risk, and we find the best ways of preventing child abuse from ever happening. So when a child needs a helping hand, we’ll be there. When parents are finding it tough, we’ll help. When laws need to change, or governments need to do more, we won’t give up until things improve.

Our Childline service provides a safe, confidential place for children with no one else to turn to, whatever their worry, whenever they need help. Children can contact Childline 365 days a year.

Our free NSPCC helpline provides adults with a place they can get advice and support, share their concerns about a child or get general information about child protection. Adults can contact the helpline 365 days a year.

About World Museum

Experience the world at your fingertips at World Museum, where millions of years of the Earth’s history are revealed through incredible exhibits and hands-on activities. Find out how humans have shaped the world we inhabit, from Africa to the Americas, Asia and Europe. Explore underwater life in the Aquarium and complete your visit by blasting off on a spectacular journey through space and time as the universe unfolds around you in the Planetarium. World Museum’s Ancient Egypt gallery, which houses one of the finest ancient Egyptian and Nubian collections in Europe, opened in 2017. World Museum was awarded a VisitEngland Gold Accolade for excellence in 2015.

About National Museums Liverpool

National Museums Liverpool comprises eight venues, including some of the most visited museums in England outside of London. Our collections are among the most important and varied in Europe and contain everything from Impressionist paintings and rare beetles to a lifejacket from the Titanic. We attracted more than 3 million visitors in 2019. Our venues are the Museum of Liverpool, World Museum, the Walker Art Gallery, Merseyside Maritime Museum, International Slavery Museum, Border Force National Museum, Sudley House and the Lady Lever Art Gallery. National Museums Liverpool is regulated by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Museums and galleries regulated by DCMS are exempt charities under Schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011. Registered Office: World Museum, William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EN. www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk