More than 20 people took part in a sponsored abseil that raised almost £8,000 to support the NSPCC across the region.

The sponsored abseil, at Ilkley’s Cow & Calf rocks, was held on Sunday, September 24, and saw members of knitting groups, business partners and former NSPCC staff take on the challenge to help children and young people.

Alice Feek, NSPCC community fundraising manager for Yorkshire and the Humber, said the event, which was organised by the Leeds Business Board and My Expedition Rocks for the charity, was a great success.

Alice said: “We had a real mixed bag of people taking part on a crisp, drizzly day, but they all did brilliantly, dressed in NSPCC green and cheering each other on. More importantly, everyone who signed up actually completed the abseil, which according to our climbing colleagues is surprisingly rare.

“We’ve still got funds coming in, but it looks like close to £8,000 raised by our brave supporters. Everything raised will go towards the work the NSPCC carries out in the region, and it will make a real difference. For example, every £4 raised could pay for a Childline counsellor to answer a contact from a young person who needs support, so we’re hugely grateful to everyone who took part.”

Ilkley Gazette: The abseil at the Cow & Calf in Ilkley in aid of the NSPCC

The event was captured by volunteer videographer Sam Chadwick, who Alice said “captured the nerves before the abseil followed by their excitement after”, and everyone who raised more than £500 received an NSPCC bobble hat for their efforts.

This week, Alice will be joining staff at The Depot climbing centre in Leeds as part of a week of awareness raising in support of the NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign.

The campaign calls on parents to show positive support for their children in their activities, following new research that found more than one in four parents (28%) who attend their child’s sports club or activity said they have seen or experienced inappropriate behaviour including shouting insults, intimidating or threatening behaviour or fights between parents, guardians, carers or children.

To find out more about Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week, go to thecpsu.org.uk/parents or search online for ‘NSPCC Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week’.

For more information on how you can volunteer or raise funds for the NSPCC, go to www.nspcc.org.uk/support-us