Young Witness supporter to take part in walk of Derry Walls

Janine, who has been with NSPCC for 12 years and is Acting Team Manager at the charity’s Young Witness Service, will be joined by some of the dedicated staff and volunteers who work alongside her.

They are joining people from all over Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK to celebrate NSPCC’s flagship fundraising event, which is taking place on Friday 9 June. NSPCC Northern Ireland is inviting organisations, schools, families, friends, and people of all ages, across the North West, to participate in the Childhood Day Mile – a fun way to move a mile and raise vital funds to help keep children safe.

Janine Clifford said: “We are really looking forward to getting out in the fresh air for some exercise and to raising funds for a cause so close to our hearts. We hope the day will be well supported and it’s worth bearing in mind that you don’t have to walk the mile - you can run it, dribble a ball for a mile, space hopper it, or wheel it. The possibilities are endless and if June 9 is inconvenient, you can move a mile on another day.

“We are so happy to take part because we know that the money we raise will help children in Northern Ireland and, indeed, The Young Witness Service.”

The Service, which is based in Northern Ireland and is the only one of its kind in the UK, assists children and young people under the age of 18 who have to attend court as prosecution witnesses. It operates in Bishop Street and Strabane courts as well as every other local crown, magistrates’ and youth court in Northern Ireland. From April 2022 to March 2023, the Service offered support to over 400 young witnesses across Northern Ireland.

Janine added: “Going to court can be a very intimidating and frightening experience for anyone but even more so for young people as it’s such a strange and unfamiliar environment. The Young Witness Service was set up because we recognised this, and we wanted to be able to support children and young people who needed to attend court to give evidence. Since we started in 1999, we have recruited and trained a truly amazing group of volunteers who work alongside paid staff to support these children and young people.

“The sort of support our volunteers can offer can be as straightforward as keeping a child company, as there can be such a lot of waiting around during court cases. They can also chat to the children about the various court procedures and answer their questions. Sometimes, the young people we support are in court because something has been done to them by an adult who is a stranger or, often, by someone known to them. Sometimes, the relationship with the volunteer can be the first step to them rebuilding their confidence and trust in adults - the importance of this cannot be overestimated.”

“We need funds to provide training for our volunteers and that’s why we are so keen to support this event, in the knowledge that the money raised will help NSPCC help more children. We’d love it if people would join us to celebrate Childhood Day.”

To sign up, please go to the NSPCC website (www.nspcc.org.uk) where there are also special Childhood Day resources for schools, nurseries, and childcare groups. Once you have registered, you’ll get a fundraising pack with everything you need to get started, and an NSPCC T-shirt to wear on your mile.