How you can help heal the children's suffering

At the end of a year where The Independent has campaigned for victims of child abuse scandals to be given a voice, we would like you to support our Victims of Abuse appeal to help children whose lives have been devastated.

Our Christmas appeal is in support of projects run by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, including its helpline, and direct support to help children who have been abused and to help prevent future abuse. The terrible toll of years of abuse suffered by more than 100 children in Clwyd was first reported by The Independent and was the launch-pad for a campaign which eventually won government action to tighten standards in children's homes.

But countless children's stories have never been heard. The NSPCC, Britain's leading charity specialising in child protection runs over 120 projects throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland offering counselling and therapy to abused children as well as carrying out its own investigations into allegations of child abuse.

The charity relies on donations for 85 per cent of its income. We would like you to contribute between now and Christmas. Your money will go to help projects such as the NSPCC's freephone helpline which takes on average 1,200 calls a week, the London Investigation Team, which works with police and social services to investigate paedophiles and the Kaleidoscope project in Newcastle which treats children who have abused others.

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