A new partnership between the NSPCC and Lidl UK will enable the children’s charity to reach one million primary schoolchildren with crucial advice on how to stay safe from abuse.
The supermarket chain is committed to raising £3m over the next three years for the NSPCC’s Schools Service.
Currently the charity has only managed to get into two-thirds of primary schools across the country with its Speak Out! Stay Safe programme.
But with Lidl UK’s support, the NSPCC will be looking to reach every primary school with their interactive assemblies and workshops designed to keep young children happy and safe from abuse.
The new partnership, the NSPCC’s first with a major supermarket, was the result of a vote opened up to Lidl’s 20,000 employees who work in its 650 stores and 11 distribution centres across the UK.
Through the partnership, Lidl UK employees will also be given the opportunity to volunteer with the NSPCC to see at first hand the work the charity does with children and young people.
They will also be able to witness Speak Out! Stay Safe being delivered in primary schools close to the stores where they work, seeing for themselves how children are being taught to protect their bodies and encouraged to speak out if something is wrong.
“We are delighted that Lidl UK has chosen us as their charity partner,” said NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless. “Their support means we will be able to train enough volunteers to deliver our schools service to every primary school in the UK, enabling us to reach one million children with crucial advice on how to stay safe and happy.
“This is especially important when you consider that two children in every classroom have suffered some form of abuse, a state of affairs that is completely unacceptable and cannot be allowed to continue.
“Lidl’s long-term commitment to support the NSPCC will help us tackle this problem and ensure many more young people are given the opportunity to enjoy a happy childhood.”
Christian Härtnagel, CEO of Lidl UK, said: “With 650 stores and 20,000 employees nationwide, Lidl UK is at the heart of communities across the country. We therefore feel proud that we are in a position to give back to those local communities by enabling the NSPCC to expand its Schools Service to every primary school in the UK.
“This isn’t just a commitment from the business, but one from all of our employees who voted for our new charity partner. We were all incredibly inspired by the work that the NSPCC does and together we are dedicated to helping them provide the vital support needed to keep children safe so they can grow up healthy and thrive.”
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