On the 31st December, the Queen’s New Year Honours list for 2021 was published recognising the outstanding achievements of people across the United Kingdom and on the list was Sevenoaks’ very own Peter Thomas Wanless who has been knighted for his services to Children, to Young People and the Charitable Sector.
Peter’s role as Chief Executive of the NSPCC has seen him over the last five years lead an ambitious and successful strategy to make five million children safer by 2021 by working towards five goals, which are:
- Preventing child abuse in families facing adversity
- Preventing child sexual abuse
- Helping children speak out and adults take action about abuse
- Helping abused children get back on track
- Making children safe from abuse online
CommunityAd caught up with Peter to talk about his Knighthood and incredible work with the NSPCC.
What was your first reaction to being knighted for your brilliant work?
It was a great surprise to be told. 2020 was an incredibly challenging year for children and for charities too. I was delighted to see the NSPCC’s work recognised in a number of ways in the latest list. A 106-year-old volunteer of ours was also recognised with an MBE!
What made you first want to work with the NSPCC and were you initially shocked at the amount of child abuse that takes place in this country?
I was previously CEO of what was then called the Big Lottery Fund, distributing hundreds of millions of pounds to charities and community groups. Before that, I was a Director at the Department for Education. So, the opportunity in 2013 to take on the leadership of such an iconic charity like the NSPCC was too important an opportunity to let go by. I was familiar with the scale of child abuse and neglect – and the opportunity to exploit children was getting worse with an unregulated online world where more of them were spending more of their time. I wanted to do something positive about that.
Is there a way that readers can help get involved and make sure 2021 is a better year for young people?
The NSPCC depends on voluntary donations for 90 per cent of what we do, so getting involved with fundraising is an option. We have branches of volunteers in Sevenoaks and across Kent or you can take on challenges or donate as individuals or families. People can also volunteer for Childline or school’s service. Check out the NSPCC website, www.nspcc.org.uk.
And there are simple things all of us can do to keep children safe, as good parents, careers or active citizens. Again, check out the website for loads of hints and tips.
The role you play in protecting children is incredible, throughout your 8 years with the NSPCC how have you been able to successfully combat and lead a strategy to make five million children safer?
I firmly believe we can all play a part in keeping children safe. Over recent years hundreds of volunteers have helped us equip a generation of primary age children with age-appropriate knowledge about how to stay safe and what to do if they have a worry or a concern. Our Childline service has been here 24/7 for young people, offering them a confidential source of advice about anything that is troubling them, sometimes small things but on occasion matters of life and death. And the NSPCC has been at the forefront of the campaign to design the sort of basic child protection into online services aimed at children that we expect of products and services in the real world.
Throughout 2020, you helped raise over £3,000 by taking part in a virtual three peaks challenge, whose idea was this and seeing as the continuation of restrictions has carried over from 2020, are there any more similar fundraising plans of this nature for 2021?
That was a challenge dreamt up by our colleagues at 02 whose staff have been raising funds for the NSPCC as well as providing online safety services and support for parents. I climbed the equivalent of Ben Nevis up the hills of Knatts Valley and on my treadmill. My followers on LinkedIn have also been entertained by a variety of tasteful and less tasteful lockdown/working from home shirts which I have also auctioned off to raise more money for NSPCC and Childline.
If you had to pick one, what has been your most memorable moment with the NSPCC?
Probably joining the NSPCC Speak Out Stay Safe service when it visited my old primary school in Chippenham, Wiltshire, though I have also met more than my fair share of celebrities in this role.
What are your aims and overall missions with NSPCC for this year?
Our mission is to prevent cruelty to children. We want to help everyone play a part in keeping children safe, make the online world as safe for children as the offline world, and ensure that every child can be heard and understood.
Away from work, what are your hobbies and interests and what do you enjoy most about living in Sevenoaks?
I am a big cricket fan. I’m on the Board at Somerset County Cricket Club (where I grew up). My son, whose roots are local, supports Kent. I also enjoy non-league football and support Ebbsfleet United.