Strathclyde Sirens netball player from Renfrew, Ella Gibbons joined forces with NSPCC Scotland to help deliver one of the leading children’s charity’s groundbreaking Speak Out Stay Safe assemblies at a Glasgow school.
Ella, 24, joined NSPCC volunteers at Craigholme Junior School and Girls Senior School in Pollokshields, Glasgow and helped deliver the service.
The NSPCC Speak Out Stay Safe assemblies help children to recognise different types of abuse and to feel confident about speaking out to a trusted adult.
Photo: Ella Gibbons with Craigholme Junior School students
Research from the leading children’s charity shows that on average at least two children in every primary school classroom across the UK will have suffered some form of abuse or neglect.
NSPCC Scotland began delivering the assemblies in Scotland in 2012 and since then its staff and team of dedicated volunteers have spoken to tens of thousands of school children the length and breadth of the country.
Speak Out Stay Safe helps ensure children understand what abuse is and know how to keep themselves safe. In 2017/2018 more than 146,000 primary school pupils across Scotland received the service in 918 schools.
In Renfrewshire, 1,138 school pupils received the service in 14 schools in 2017/18. In East Renfrewshire, 2,043 pupils were reached in three schools over the same period.
Ella, who was on the Scotland team at this year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and was also part of the bronze medal winning team at the 2017 Netball European
Championships, said: “The NSPCC’s Speak Out Stay Safe campaign is a really amazing cause and the impact that it has on children and young people in terms of giving them the knowledge to recognise abuse is so important.
“The message is very powerful and I am delighted the Strathclyde Sirens are on board to promote this vital message. The cause is something that I am very passionate about.
“It was really great to talk to the pupils today about my career, especially the highlight of representing Scotland at this year’s Commonwealth Games. There is something special about having hard work pay off and being able to represent your country in the biggest competition for netball.
“I hope I helped the girls to realise that although it can be difficult to get to the top level of sport, you can get there in the end with hard work and perseverance.”
Alan Stewart, NSPCC School Service manager for Scotland said: “The NSPCC’s Speak Out Stay Safe programme visits hundreds of primary schools every year across Scotland
Helping thousands of children develop an understanding of abuse in all its forms and of how to get help.
“It’s such a vital service for young people and we were determined to make sure we can continue to bring it to every primary school in Scotland. It’s really important to us to have the backing of the Strathclyde Sirens and their players.
“Their involvement and support only reinforces the important messages we deliver to primary school children and we are extremely fortunate to have such a great team as partners.”
Pamela Mitchell, Head of Pastoral Care, Craigholme Junior School said: “We were delighted to welcome the NSPCC and Ella to Craigholme today.
“We really value the fantastic work and commitment of the charity to empower and help children across Scotland to learn how to keep themselves safe.
“I would also like to thank Ella from the Strathclyde Sirens for taking the time to talk to the pupils about her successful career in netball.”