Childline - Presentation and talk by Sally King Sheard

ROTARY CLUB OF RHYL The notion that volunteers involved in the challenging work of the national organisation Childline would go home laden down with a sense of doom and gloom, was firmly dispelled by an experienced representative of the national charity in a talk at Faenol Fawr. Volunteer co-ordinator Sally King Shield said the truth of counselling young persons up to the age of 19 and helping allay their wide-ranging concerns, was in fact quite the reverse, producing a profoundly uplifting feeling and reward in being part of a happy and dedicated team rendering an invaluable service. Introduced by President Mike Parry, she reported that since being founded by Esther Ranzen, thirty years ago, Childline, now aligned to the NSPCC and receiving 90 per cent of its funding centrally, has gone from strength to strength but was still looking to recruit more volunteers for the required 3 month training, ahead of active participation in this strictly confidential service. The biggest need in the North Wales area, she revealed, was for Welsh-speaking men and she would be only too pleased to hear from people keen to learn more about this hugely rewarding work. After answering a wide range of probing questions, the speaker was warmly thanked by past President John Hickerton who said Childline was clearly an organisation that thoroughly deserved to exist and warranted all the support and encouragement it could get. On conclusion of the talk the President invited all present to join him in congratulating club secretary Gordon Marshall and his wife Joyce on the celebration that week of their Golden Wedding anniversary.