For children facing abuse, the winter nights are dark, long and lonely – when worries loom larger than ever. Especially during the Christmas holidays when, without the supportive environment of school, it can feel like there’s nowhere to turn. Children shouldn’t have to cope alone. They need to know that we’re here for them, even on the darkest nights.

On 21 December, or another date that works for you, get together with friends and family to walk 5k. By signing up, creating a fundraising page and raising money through donations from your contacts - you can help us be here for children through services like Childline.

Our Childline service is here for children every day – even on Christmas Day. We’re open 24 hours a day, staffed by volunteer counsellors in bases from Aberdeen to Cardiff. Childline delivered just over 6,000 counselling sessions over Christmas last year, and the top concern for children was mental and emotional health. When a child feels like they have nowhere else to turn to, it’s vital that we’re here – ready to listen and support children across the UK.

You could gather a group to walk with and make a night of it – why not dress up (Santa hats and reindeer antlers...?) or end the walk with dinner or drinks? Or you might be a seasoned walker aiming to tackle a longer challenge. Whatever you do, visit our #TeamNSPCC hub for everything you’ll need to plan your walk, or get in touch with the Sports Board and Network team, we can also help you to find out more about how your donations will help children this Christmas.

And of course, safety comes first. Keep an eye on the latest government guidelines in advance and plan for any last-minute changes that may affect your challenge.