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Support Sian Salter With 80 Messages

NSPCC supporter Sian Salter will stand on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth this Friday (31 July) to promote the Child's Voice Appeal for the NSPCC Helpline and ChildLine service.

Sian - a nutritional therapist and mother of two from London - will take her stand on the Fourth Plinth from 1-2pm on Friday. She will be dressed in the Child's Voice Appeal image of butterfly 'ears', as part of Antony Gormley's One & Other exhibition.

Sian says: "The second anniversary of Baby Peter's death is on Monday. I was shocked at his brutal torture and death at the hands of callous carers like everyone else. But tragically, he is not the only one. In my own life I have come across cases of child abuse that have saddened me deeply. People should phone the NSPCC when they have concerns about a child.

"I want to use this opportunity to do something to help stop child cruelty. This is why I am supporting the NSPCC Child's Voice Appeal."

Every hour, on average, ChildLine counsels 80 calls from children. To mark this, Sian is asking NSPCC Facebook fans to post her 80 short messages of support on the wall below.

Sian says: "Going onto the plinth is a daunting prospect. But it is nothing compared to the courage a child needs to pick up the phone to ChildLine.

"I will carry a banner onto the Plinth telling everyone: The hardest thing for an abused child is to speak out. Help give them a voice. I'll spend my hour sticking 80 butterflies onto the banner for each child who ChildLine listens to in that time.

"All the brave children who phone ChildLine have no-one else to talk to. If 80 people post their messages of support here, it would be like each child has a friend cheering them on. That would mean such a lot."

The NSPCC launched its three year Child's Voice Appeal last year to raise £50 million to maintain and grow its helplines, text and online counselling services. This is needed in addition to £27 million that the Government has pledged. Visit www.childsvoiceappeal.org.uk for more information or to make a donation.

Sian is the third person to go onto the Plinth in aid of the NSPCC Helplines. The NSPCC may distribute messages of support left for her here through other channels.

One & Other is commissioned by the Mayor of London in partnership with Sky Arts. Watch all the action live from the plinth every Friday at 7pm on Sky Arts 1/HD and online at www.oneandother.co.uk.

Adults concerned about a child can call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000. Any child with a worry or a problem can call ChildLine on 0800 1111.

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