The daily commute isn’t usually a life-changing experience for most of us. But it was for Darren Sobers, who never imagined that flicking through a newspaper on the tube might one day lead to him trekking the Great Wall of China to raise money for the NSPCC.
“I don’t even normally read that particular paper, but I picked it up that day and saw an article about the trip,” he says. “In that moment, I realised I could use my time to benefit children who need protecting and safeguarding. It was just that Monday morning feeling that I could be doing more than this. I could do something really fulfilling and impactful.”
After contacting the charity to find out more, Sobers joined the trek, spending three weeks in China where he helped raise thousands of pounds for the NSPCC and made some lifelong friends in the process.
“The NSPCC made it really simple for me to get involved, with clear travel instructions and information about everything I would need to think of,” he says. “And it helped that every potential stop light along the way was green – I wasn’t sure if I would be eligible for the trip but I was, and I didn’t think my employer would approve three weeks off work, but they did. The more positive signs I encountered, the more I felt this was something I had to do.”
Through his involvement in the journey and the connections made with other NSPCC supporters, Sobers heard about other fundraising events, including Childhood Day. Inspired to continue using his time for a good cause, he joined in with collecting donations from his local community on Childhood Day last year – dressed in a repurposed Halloween costume.
Relationships are at the heart of Sobers’ commitment to the charity, as is the case for many NSPCC volunteers. A staff member and her husband, both of whom Sobers met on the trek in China, have become close friends and, he says, their values inspire him.
“Through our friendship I learned how little it takes to make an impact; raising just a few hundred pounds can make such a difference in the lives of children, which really made me realise what a precious commodity my time is. These days people might feel they can’t offer financial support to a charity but giving your time is invaluable.”
Illustration: Beya Rebaï/The Guardian
Volunteering with the NSPCC for Childhood Day also helped Sobers to build new connections with his local community. In particular, he recounts feeling moved by the reaction of the public and the sight of children asking their parents for change to drop into the collection buckets. “These are kids who – had life dealt them different cards – might themselves need help from the NSPCC,” he says.
But Childhood Day isn’t just about fundraising. Keeping children safe requires a community-wide approach, which is why building awareness of the work the charity does is so important. “They say it takes a village to raise a child but I think it also takes a village to protect a child,” says Sobers.
“People can learn to recognise the signs of abuse or vulnerability that might not be obvious on the surface but which show in a child’s behaviour,” he says. “A collaborative pool can always do more than one individual, so it’s important to have multiple people – parents, friends, childminders and teachers – all looking out for children who could be in need of help. Being involved with the NSPCC has raised my awareness about vulnerable children and how silent their screams for help can sometimes be.”
Sue Wardle, an ex-primary school teacher who has been involved with the charity since 2005, is “immensely proud” to be a volunteer with the NSPCC and says the experience has given her a sense of purpose, alongside camaraderie and fun. She became chair of an active fundraising committee in Staffordshire and helped to raise more than £250,000 over a number of years.
Wardle heard about Childhood Day from her local NSPCC community fundraising manager and liked the idea of joining together with other supporters of the charity in a common cause. “Cruelty and abuse take many forms, so the more people know about the signs – and the more children realise that they can speak out to a trusted person in their community – the better chance we stand of preventing it,” she says.
“Children need to know that there are people who will listen to them and help them. Childhood Day is important because the publicity it attracts helps spread the word about the work the NSPCC does to prevent abuse and neglect of children in the UK.”
Wardle says there is a great range of options for anyone who wants to get involved with Childhood Day this year, from participating in the Childhood Day Mile to helping with a collection, or organising a fundraising event such as a bake sale. “You will get lots of help from [NSPCC’s] head office and our new king is keen for communities to get together and volunteer too.”
And if you’re reading this on the way to work and find yourself, like Sobers, inspired to get involved, he says this: “Just do it. Jump in. It only takes 10 seconds of courage.”
Childhood Day is a day that brings everyone in the UK together to have fun and help protect children. Whether you join the Childhood Day Mile, volunteer or donate – we need everyone to play their part.
