Community shows support for work of Beccles NSPCC branch

From left standing, Zane Blanchard, Heather Bell and Hugh Taylor , with Jacky Gillard and Sandra Marsh, seated. (Image: Archant)

And residents at Abbeyfield House residential care home in Ravensmere have been doing their bit to support the cause, led by 96-year-old Jacky Gillard.

Residents started collecting in January and invited branch vice chairman Hugh Taylor and treasurer Sandra Marsh to visit the home at the start of the month to present a donation for £65.

Ms Gillard said: “It started with my grandmother when we were small children; she always gave us money when we went to see her. She always said the same thing - ‘how much of that are you going to give away?’ If someone said ‘the lot’ she would say, ‘no - give some away.’ It’s just the way we did it.”

Contributions for the charity come from individuals, businesses and organisations in the Beccles area.

And members have also recently visited the Tesco store in Beccles where they thanked staff members Nigel Lungmuss-Ward for raising £854 and Peter Aldred for raising £375.

Mr Taylor said: “The Beccles branch of the NSPCC was set up some 18 months ago in order to raise funds in and around Beccles to contribute to the work of the NSPCC in this area. This work includes the quite famous Child Line, set up by Esther Rantzen, so that young people who are being abused, or are not sure what to do in a situation of abuse, can seek support and advice.

“We also run a programme of visits for every school in and around Beccles; experts go to local schools to talk to students and staff about the work of the NSPCC. These school visits are part of the national support programme; also, the NSPCC are involved in the work currently being done with regards to the abuse of young people within sport. We try to be as locally focused as we can; however, we acknowledge that we are part of a national organisation that needs funding and we are doing our bit in Beccles.”

Funds are also raised through stalls at local events, including the Beccles Duck Race and Charter Weekend, along with a Children’s Fun Day organised by the branch at Beccles Public Hall.

The Beccles branch of the NSPCC will be holding an anniversary event in March 2017, at the Waveney House Hotel, to mark their second milestone. There will be speakers from the NSPCC as well as local schools and community representatives.