Ospreys & Liberty Stadium Support Swansea's Childline

The Liberty Stadium has today announced its support for a new ChildLine campaign to boost volunteer numbers for the vital children's helpline.

The ChildLine base in Swansea city centre can currently only answer two thirds of its calls, so staff at the base are urging members of the public in and around Swansea to consider becoming a volunteer for the charity.

Regional rugby team the Ospreys, who play at the stadium, have also teamed up with stadium bosses to throw their weight behind a campaign for the charity that will see posters displayed at the stadium over the next month "â'¬" where an expected aggregate crowd of more than 40,000 will be able to see the posters and may be encouraged to become a volunteer.

Amy Jones, volunteer recruitment co-ordinator says: "â'¬Å"ChildLine urgently needs more volunteers to speak to children and young people on its helpline, work with them in schools, and to support fundraising activity. Full training and support is provided which ensures that volunteeringis a unique, rewarding and valuable experience.

"â'¬Å"At present we do not have enough male volunteers, however there are a growing number of calls from boys and young men, some who do not wish to speak to a female. Having such a visual presence at the stadium is an ideal opportunity for us to try and encourage male volunteers to come to one of our open days and find out more about volunteering for ChildLine.

"â'¬Å"By 2010 ChildLine will have expanded to offer counselling online and via text. This may again encourage more boys to contact ChildLine who have not previously done so. As a result ChildLine needs more male counsellors to make sure every child has someone to turn to in times of need.

"â'¬Å"We know that advertising space is at a premium, especially in such a fantastic venue so we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity."â'¬Â

Matt Daniel, Commercial Manager, Swansea Stadium Management Company, said:

"We are pleased to be able to offer our support to such a worthy campaign, which will hopefully encourage stadium visitors to volunteer, and as such help to make a real difference to ChildLine and the children who need the help of the service. Posters will be displayed at prominent sites around the stadium, where they will be seen not only by supporters attending matches over the next four weeks, but by the hundreds of visitors who attend events here every day, helping to raise the profile of what is an extremely important cause."

Ospreys managing Director, Roger Blyth, echoed the sentiments, saying:

"ChildLine carries out such important work that we felt that we had to offer our assistance to this new poster campaign. Clearly, there is a very obvious need for more males to volunteer as counsellors. With a high percentage of our support base, and stadium visitors in general being male, it makes sense for us to provide assistance to the charity as it seeks to attract new volunteers. We hope that the response to the campaign is a positive one."

Janice Driscoll from south Wales has been a counsellor for just over a year, she tells us why she decided to volunteer: "â'¬Å"I get great satisfaction that a child has had someone to talk to and has been able to air their problems without being ridiculed, ignored or neglected. I hope that by listening and encouraging them to talk they will be able to deal with what is happening to them and seek professional help if they see fit."â'¬Â

Amy continues: "â'¬Å"Volunteers are the heart of ChildLine's service. Anyone over the age of 16 can volunteer, whatever age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation and physical abilities. They are ordinary people doing something extraordinary and without them we would not exist.