Mayor to light Alley Theatre green to raise awareness of child cruelty

MAYOR of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Graham Warke, is hoping to raise awareness and support for the NSPCC by lighting The Alley Theatre green on Tuesday December 21.

Buildings across the UK will mark the longest night of the year by being lit in the charity’s trademark colour.

The NSPCC run service Childline, has revealed that counselling sessions about loneliness peaked over the festive period last year with the service delivering a record 600 sessions in December alone.

“For children facing abuse, every night feels like the longest,” said Mayor Warke. “On the evening of December 21, the longest night of the year, we are supporting the NSPCC by lighting up our building and turning it their trademark green colour.

“The festive period can be especially difficult for children who are struggling with their mental health or are in homes that are unsafe.

“Childline is still there for them and children can contact them by phone or on-line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”

From April 2020 to March 2021 there were 6,039 counselling sessions about loneliness, marking an all-time high for a single year.
This is an increase of nearly half over the past four years.