Cruelty blights the lives of one in six children and comes in various forms - emotional, physical, sexual and neglect. It is not exclusive to any section of society and can strike at the heart of every community.

NSPCC Cheque PresentationEach week at least one child will die from abuse and 700 children are added to protection registers across the country. One in four rapes recorded by police are against those under 16 and around a quarter of all children experience some form of violence. Hundreds of thousands of children grow up unloved.

The NSPCC FULL STOP campaign is working to bring an end to this cruelty. Much headway has been made but there is still a long way to go until all children are treated with the love and kindness they need.

As part of its latest campaign the NSPCC is calling on millions of people to help create an unstoppable human force to end child cruelty. You can find out how to help by visiting www.bethefullstop.com. When you log on your name is added to a unique map which shows people across the country coming together to bring child cruelty to a FULL STOP. By taking action now you can BE THE FULL STOP and help the children who need us. And when your action is joined together with millions of others you become part of a massive human barrier between children and their abusers - a barrier that can eventually grow big enough to stop child abuse. FULL STOP.

Deborah Hardwick, NSPCC community appeals manager, said: "We are extremely grateful to the President of NACO Frank Wood for selecting the NSPCC as his chosen charity. Voluntary donations and fund-raising accounts for 84 per cent of the NSPCC's income, so without the public's unstinting support none of this crucial child protection work would be possible".

"The fight against child cruelty can only be won when everyone plays their part. Every action makes a difference. Every action counts. Together, step-by-step, we can end cruelty to children."

Since the NSPCC started in 1884 it has helped more than ten million children. The charity runs 180 projects and has 17,000 fundraising volunteers and 1,400 ChildLine volunteers throughout the British Isles. It works to support parents and protect children in local communities - investigating paedophile rings, helping children to give evidence in court, counselling those who are suffering domestic violence or bullying, and in many other ways.

A key project in the North West is the Safe Place Appeal which aims to raise £17 million to fund a centre of excellence in Liverpool and NSPCC services across Merseyside for ten years. The new building will house a bigger NSPCC team helping children and their mothers recover from the devastating impact of domestic violence. Another team which includes a midwife will help mothers-to-be who have drug and alcohol problems which can also damage and threaten the lives of children. It will also house There4me.com, a pioneering online information advice and support service for 12 – 16 year olds and a ChildLine team of volunteer counsellors who provide a counselling service to young people. Other services funded by the Safe Place Appeal include the work of the NSPCC’s specialist investigation service, which tackles the activities of paedophiles in Merseyside, and cover the costs of dealing with calls to the NSPCC helpline from those in the area.

To support the work of the NSPCC visit www.bethefullstop.com or telephone 08000 12 12 11.