Charity

NSPCC Cymru highlights ‘vital work’ of Children’s Service Practitioners

Published

1 year ago

March 14, 2025

AS PART of Social Work Week, we are celebrating the work of professionals at NSPCC Cymru who work closely with children to keep them safe from harm and neglect.

Staff and volunteers come from a wide range of experience and have often worked in challenging and demanding roles before joining the organisation.

Once such area is social work and the skills and knowledge of this discipline are key to the work of our Children’s Services Practitioners (CSPs).

While people often shy away from talking about child abuse, the reality is that half a million children experience abuse every year. We need to talk about it, and the CSP team at NSPCC Cymru is here to help prevent it happening. We are here to support children and their families when it has happened, to reduce stigma and shame and help promote recovery.

Sophie Dowle is a Children’s Services Practitioner (CSP) based in Cardiff and explains what brought her to NSPCC Cymru a year ago and the vital work her team does.

Sophie said, “I qualified as a social worker in 2018 and worked in Child Protection and Counter Exploitation teams in a local authority children’s services department prior to joining the NSPCC.

“At NSPCC Cymru we work on a range of direct initiatives including a therapeutic service for children and their families and carers following sexual abuse.

“We deliver a service called Pregnancy in Mind which helps expectant parents with or at risk of mild to moderate anxiety or depression, and we are about to deliver a perinatal service that supports vulnerable parents, developing their confidence in parenting and meeting the needs of their baby.”

There are some differences between the kinds of social work support our Children’s Services Practitioners provide and the traditional roles associated with local authority social workers.

Sophie continues, “Local Authority social workers tend to deal with safeguarding risks in the here and now with overall responsibility for the plan of care and support a child needs.

“We do not deliver statutory services and crisis intervention. Our direct services practitioners offer support to prevent the harm in the first place, or support recovery once a child is safe.

“By working with other agencies and partners to help care and support children, we are afforded the time and a reduced case load to work intensively and creatively with young people and their families.

“It was the opportunity to develop my therapeutic skills, and hearing about the Letting the Future In service, which delivers therapeutic work following sexual abuse, that motivated me to join NSPCC Cymru.”

The skills needed for this demanding role include general child-centred social work skills, empathy, good communication, listening and analytical skills as well as creativity and decision-making skills. Sophie says she appreciates the support and training the organisation provides.

She added, “I love the time and creativity I am given to work with children and their families. The work is very rewarding. I have worked with so many wonderful young people and have learnt things from them all. It is a privilege to be a part of their journey.

“In Social Work Week it’s important to spread the message about the vital role social work plays in safeguarding and supporting people and an opportunity to promote the work our Children’s Services Practitioners do at NSPCC Cymru to keep children and young people safe.”

NSPCC Cymru’s Direct Services team manager, Jess Hiscock said; “We value the diverse experiences and knowledge our practitioners bring to the role. Sophie and her practitioner colleagues’ passion and commitment to ensuring babies, children, young people and their families are supported and safe contributes to so many improved outcomes for those with whom we work.”

To find out more about Social Care Week visit Social Work Week 2025 | Social Care Wales

For more about the NSPCC’s services visit NSPCC | The UK children’s charity | NSPCC

Charity

A cappella group hits the right note for lifesaving charity

Published

6 days ago

March 17, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Pembrokeshire singers raise funds for Wales Air Ambulance during 25th anniversary year

A PEMBROKESHIRE a cappella group has been praised for supporting a lifesaving service during a landmark year for the charity.

The “Barnhowlers” recently busked at Cardigan Guildhall Market, raising funds for Wales Air Ambulance as it marks its 25th anniversary.

Since its first flight on March 1, 2001, the service has carried out more than 56,000 missions across Wales, delivering critical care to patients wherever it is needed.

Pam Jones, 74, who lives near Fishguard, said the cause was close to many people’s hearts.

“Most people know someone who has needed the Wales Air Ambulance,” she said.

“I know two people who are thankfully still with us because they received critical care from the service. It makes an incredible difference to patient outcomes.”

The Wales Air Ambulance is a consultant-led service, bringing hospital-standard treatment directly to patients at the scene. If required, crews can transfer patients straight to the most appropriate hospital for their condition.

The service operates through a partnership between the public and third sectors, relying on public donations to raise the £13 million needed each year to keep helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.

Highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners are provided by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS), enabling advanced treatments such as anaesthesia, blood transfusions and even minor operations to be carried out at the scene.

As a pan-Wales service, its crews travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency care, regardless of where they are based.

Pam said the Barnhowlers take pride in performing for causes that make a real difference.

“There is nothing quite like coming together to sing some of our favourite songs, knowing that we are also making a difference,” she said.

Formed in 2011, the group began as a barbershop ensemble and has since evolved into a versatile a cappella group performing a wide range of music.

“We like to mix it up, performing songs from The Beatles and Duke Ellington to Thomas Tallis and Disney,” Pam added. “We want to entertain people, and we love it when the audience joins in.”

The group performs regularly at community events, including the Friendship Circle, gardening clubs, Parkinson’s support groups and the Fishguard Folk Festival. They have also supported local food banks and other health-related charities.

“Local nursing homes seem to like us too,” Pam said. “We bring a bit of cheer and take people down memory lane.”

Barnhowlers have several performances lined up throughout the spring and summer, including a concert in aid of the Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire.

Wales Air Ambulance Regional Fundraising Manager Mike May thanked the group for their support.

“We are so grateful to the Barnhowlers for using the power of music to shine a light on local causes,” he said.

“They entertained the crowds at Cardigan Guildhall Market in aid of Wales Air Ambulance. Every pound raised will help save lives. Diolch yn fawr.”

Charity

Child abuse image offences rise in Wales as NSPCC calls for real-time tech safeguards

Published

6 days ago

March 17, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE NSPCC has called for mandatory technology to block child sexual abuse images in real time after new figures revealed more than 1,200 offences were recorded by police forces in Wales in the past year.

Data obtained by the children’s charity shows that 1,287 offences involving indecent images of children were logged by Dyfed-Powys, Gwent and North Wales Police between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025.

The figure represents a 3% increase on the previous year, when 1,244 offences were recorded.

Across the UK, almost 37,000 offences involving child sexual abuse images were recorded by police during the same period, according to the NSPCC.

The charity said the figures demonstrate the urgent need for technology companies to introduce stronger protections for children using smartphones and social media.

It is calling on tech firms to install systems on children’s devices that would automatically block nude images from being created, shared or viewed, stopping abuse before it happens.

If companies fail to act, the NSPCC says the UK Government should make such safeguards mandatory.

Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the NSPCC, said: “It is utterly indefensible that we are still seeing around 100 child sexual abuse image offences recorded every single day.

“Children across the UK are being completely failed by tech companies that should be protecting them online.

“Behind every one of these offences is a child who has been groomed, abused and manipulated. They are left to carry the trauma while tech companies continue to profit.”

The NSPCC said many of these crimes take place on social media platforms.

Of the 10,811 offences where police recorded the platform used, Snapchat accounted for the largest share at 43% of cases, followed by Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook.

The charity warned that end-to-end encryption used by some platforms may hide the true scale of abuse, making it harder for authorities to detect crimes.

Young people contacting Childline have described the devastating consequences of images being shared online.

One teenager told counsellors he was forced to move schools after a nude image he shared was leaked and used to blackmail him.

The NSPCC said 685 Childline counselling sessions last year involved concerns about online sexual abuse or exploitation, including threats to share intimate images.

The charity is urging ministers to go further in protecting children online, arguing that stronger safeguards are needed beyond proposals such as banning children from social media.

South Wales Police did not provide complete data for the latest figures, meaning the total number of offences recorded across Wales may be higher.

Charity

Car dealership smash cycling spin challenge target

Published

1 week ago

March 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

STAFF at OC Davies used pedal power to cycle an incredible 453 miles as part of a fundraising event marking two major anniversaries.

The Cardigan-based dealership is celebrating 40 years as a Renault dealer in 2026, while the Wales Air Ambulance marked its 25th anniversary on St David’s Day (Mar 1).

To celebrate the milestones – and the launch of the new vehicle registration plate – the dealership held a community open day at its Cardigan site, raising £2,102 for the lifesaving charity.

As part of the event, staff and supporters took on a spin bike challenge to cycle the equivalent of 104 miles – the distance between OC Davies’ three dealerships in Cardigan, Neyland and Carmarthen.

However, the participants far exceeded expectations.

During the 12-hour challenge, which ran from 8:00am to 8:00pm, a total of 37 people took part and collectively cycled an impressive 453 miles.

Over the years, OC Davies has now raised more than £6,600 for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity.

Nicola Lewis from OC Davies said: “We are incredibly proud to have raised £2,102. This fantastic amount exceeded all our expectations and shows just how supportive our community has been.

“The success of the event has inspired us to keep the momentum going and continue raising money for Wales Air Ambulance throughout the rest of the year.

“We currently have an Easter egg lucky dip running in the dealership and we’re also planning to raise further funds later in the summer at some outdoor events we’ll be taking part in.”

More than 200 visitors attended the open day and around 900 tickets were sold for a grand raffle.

Prizes were donated by local businesses including The Cliff Hotel & Spa, Tom Samways Butchers, U Melt Me, Tonnau, Theatr Mwldan, Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, and The Queen’s Hall.

Additional prizes were also donated by the Scarlets and Swansea City FC.

Nicola added: “The open day was wonderfully supported by local businesses and members of the community, which helped make the event so special.

“We were overwhelmed by the generosity and support from businesses in Cardigan and beyond who kindly donated prizes for our grand raffle.”

The spin bikes used during the challenge were loaned by Neil Fulstow Fitness Coaching, with additional support from Clive Evans and Clive Davies.

The charity’s mascot Biggles also made an appearance during the day – even taking a turn on the DJ decks.

Emily Bell, Wales Air Ambulance’s Regional Fundraising Co-ordinator, said: “A huge congratulations to the staff at OC Davies, who smashed their original target while raising an incredible amount for our charity.

“It was a lovely open day which I was delighted to attend. OC Davies found a wonderful way to mark both anniversaries.

“Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £13 million every year to keep our helicopters flying and our rapid response vehicles on the road. Fundraisers like this help ensure we can continue to be there for the people of Wales when they need us most.”

Wales Air Ambulance is a consultant-led service delivering hospital-standard treatment at the scene of an incident.

Through its partnership with the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS), NHS consultants and critical care practitioners can provide advanced treatment including anaesthesia, blood transfusions and minor surgical procedures before transporting patients to the most appropriate hospital.

As a pan-Wales service, its crews travel across the country to deliver lifesaving emergency care wherever it is needed.

For more information visit www.ocdavies.com.