NSPCC gets help from Superdrug

Superdrug stores around the UK are today (26 January) gearing themselves up for a range of exciting fundraising activities for 'It's your call', a campaign with the NSPCC to raise £100,000 for the charity's, Child's Voice Appeal.

Superdrug shops are taking part in a variety of fundraising initiatives based around three key events - Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter - to raise money from employees and customers. Fundraising activities around Valentine's Day includes store teams voting for their in store Valentine who offers the best customer service over Valentine's.

The 'It's your call' campaign is about the NSPCC and Superdrug coming together and engaging with customers and employees about how they can help children and young people to feel better about themselves. The cost of one call to ChildLine is £4 and Superdrug aims to raise £100,000, which could answer 25,000 more calls to ChildLine from children in need of comfort, advice and support.

Colin Mackenzie, NSPCC Corporate Partnerships Manager said: "It's a tragedy when a vulnerable child summons up the courage to phone ChildLine but can't get through to speak to someone.

"The Child's Voice Appeal aims to raise over £50 million to develop the NSPCC helplines to answer every call, text and e-mail from a child who needs our help or an adult with a concern about a child.

"We are delighted Superdrug has decided to team up with the NSPCC for this campaign, which is based around the importance we both place in self-esteem and helping people feel good about themselves.

"Superdrug can make an incredible difference to children across the UK. By raising more funds we can move closer to answering every call, enabling us to reach out to children and young people, letting them know that ChildLine is there for them with whatever worry, big or small."
                                                                  
Sean Watret, Superdrug regional general manager said: "Superdrug recognises the importance of the NSPCC's work and is pleased to help with its vital Child's Voice Appeal."

"Superdrug is all about helping people to feel good about themselves and ChildLine helps children overcome issues or problems they may have, promoting their courage, confidence and sense of self-worth. Together we're hoping to raise much needed funds for this incredibly worthwhile campaign."

Ends

NSPCC media office on 020 7825 2514 or out-of-hours mobile 07976 206 625.

Notes to editors:

1. About the NSPCC
The NSPCC is the UK's leading children's charity specialising in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children. The NSPCC's purpose is to end cruelty to children FULL STOP. Its vision is of a society where all children are loved, valued and able to fulfil their potential. The NSPCC runs 180 projects and services across the United Kingdom and Channel Islands, including ChildLine, the UK's free, confidential 24-hour helpline for children and young people.

2. About the Child's Voice Appeal
The Child's Voice Appeal will also raise money for the NSPCC's free ChildLine service - 0800 1111 - which last year received 2.3m calls, approximately one third were unanswered. ChildLine will be increasing its call centres to 15 next year and will need to increase its volunteer counselling force from 1200 to nearly 1800 to try and answer every call.

3. Superdrug is the United Kingdom's most fashion conscious beauty and health retailer with over 900 stores in the UK and Eire.
Superdrug is one of the health & beauty retail brands from the A.S. Watson Group (ASW) family - the world's largest health & beauty retailer and the largest perfumeries & cosmetics retailer. With a history dating back to 1828, ASW has evolved into an international retail and manufacturing business with operations in 36 markets worldwide. A.S. Watson has a network of over 7,800 retail stores globally with stores in over 1,800 cities, with over 98,000 employees and serves over 25 million customers a week.