Today is the 20th anniversary of the launch of Childline, the free-24-hour helpline set up by Esther Rantzen for children and young people.
This is one of those rare occasions where numbers speak louder than words:
-Since 1986, the 0800 1111 helpline has been a source of help for nearly 2 million children
-Since 1986, volunteers have counselled 175,000 victims of child sex abuse
-4,500 children call each day, but only around 2,500 of them get through
-An extra £20m would help an extra 1,000 children per day get through
-90% of Childline's funding comes from donations from the public
Need I say more?
To donate to Childline's 20th Birthday Appeal, go to www.childline.org.uk
Or email your MP to lobby government to provide long-term meaningful funding to expand this valuable service.