Football star Michael Carrick gets into training for the NSPCC

The 27-year-old midfielder has pledged his support to the children's charity and will use his public profile to help promote the NSPCC's messages across the North West and the rest of the country.  This includes raising awareness of the recently launched Child's Voice Appeal, which aims to raise £50m for ChildLine and the NSPCC Helpline for adults concerned about a child.

Michael Carrick said: "I'm supporting the NSPCC because they do fantastic work, making sure vulnerable kids are protected from abuse. They are currently expanding their adult Helpline and ChildLine services so more children will be able to get vital help when they need it. In order to make this possible I would encourage people to donate anything they can afford to the Child's Voice Appeal and help to ensure no cry for help goes unheard."

Michael will kick-off his commitment to the NSPCC by paying a visit to budding young footballers at the charity's Young People's Centre in Warrington on Thursday 23 April.  He will have the opportunity to learn more about the charity's work, both locally and nationally, and will meet children's workers, volunteers and young people who use the YPC. 

His visit will culminate in a friendly kick-about with the boys' football team who are aged between 13 and 16 years old and meet weekly to train at the YPC.

Michael added: "The first place I began playing football was in the 5-a-side team at the local club where my dad worked as a volunteer.  I was very lucky to grow up in a happy family environment that has helped me get where I am today but the same can't be said for every child.  That is why we have to support the vital work that the NSPCC does to protect vulnerable children."

Yvonne Jama, NSPCC children's services manager in Warrington said: "It's fantastic that Michael is supporting the NSPCC and his visit is really inspiring for all the young people who meet here, particularly our aspiring footballers. 

"Teamwork and cooperation are key to building confidence and self-esteem which is why our participation through sport programmes have proved to be hugely successful with the young people who come to the centre. We're very proud of their achievements."

Facilities at the YPC include an activity hall, sports courts, a games room, IT suite, workshops, interview and therapy rooms and a communal café area for young people to meet. The YPC offers a daily drop-in service to help and support young people and runs initiatives including the boys football team, a girls' group and a sports awards scheme which incorporates a variety of sports.  Blue Planet, a group for disabled young people wanting to socialise also meets at the YPC.

Michael joins other sporting heroes such as Amir Khan, Alan Shearer and Tom Daley as supporters of the NSPCC. 

Find out more about the NSPCC's celebrity supporters and learn about our work by visiting www.nspcc.org.uk.

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For further information please contact NSPCC regional press office on 0113 22 99 317

Click here to see media coverage in The Sun Online

Notes to Editors:

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 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. The NSPCC helps over 10,000 children and their families every year.

ChildLine has formally joined with the NSPCC in a move that will ensure even stronger services and a more influential voice for children and young people. The ChildLine service, now one of the NSPCC's helpline services, still has the same well known telephone number - 0800 1111 - and children and young people can still call 24 hours a day and receive the same crucial service.

The Child's Voice Appeal, which launched in September 2008, aims to raise £50m so that the NSPCC's vital helplines can answer many more cries for help.

The funds will mean that ChildLine's volunteers can counsel more calls every year; children will be able to choose how they access ChildLine's help - by phone, online or by text; the NSPCC Helpline can grow and counsel more adults who have concerns about a child; and counsellors can provide personalised help by email to nearly five times as many concerned adults.
 
The government has pledged £30m over four years towards the expansion of ChildLine and the NSPCC Helpline, but the NSPCC needs the support of the public to raise a further £50m through the Child's Voice Appeal, to make its vision a reality.