A CHILD protection charity is calling for people to take on volunteering as part of their new year resolutions.

NSPCC in Berkshire is recruiting for new volunteers for its schools service and fundraising branches to start in the first months of the new year.

The start of the year can often be a time when we want to start something new, so the children's protection charity wants to get people to volunteer for them through its Speak Out Stay Safe campaign.

The campaign means volunteers go to primary school to teach children about recognising the signs of neglect and abuse through age-appropriate safeguarding assemblies and workshops.

Julie Hilton, NSPCC schools service manager said: "I really admire that our volunteers give up their time to make a difference to the lives of children.

"We have had children who have spoken out about abuse as a direct result of our volunteers going into schools delivering the programme."

Volunteers for the child abuse protection charity spoke to 29,581 children in Berkshire in the 2017-2018 academic year and also spoke to pupils in assemblies at 105 primary schools in the UK.

Julie added: "It is so rewarding for the volunteers to know they have directly helped a child and we give every one of them excellent training so they know how to manage these situations."

The charity is encouraging people to sign up as it is 'rewarding' to help children speak out to a trusted adult or to Childline if they are worried.

As well as this, people can volunteer as a fundraiser for the NSPCC has part of one of the charity's many local fundraising groups.

Debbie Knights, community fundraising manager for Berkshire said: "We rely on the public for 90 per cent of our fundraising so we can continue our life-changing child protection work.

"Our volunteer fundraisers are heroes and without them we simply couldnt do the work we do.

"If you've been thinking about fundraising for the NSPCC, now is your chance to get involved and help us reach and protect children in crisis."

Visit: www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/volunteering-nspcc-childline to apply.