Dame Esther Rantzen greets new NI Childline chief Shaun Friel

Dame Esther Rantzen, founder of the child helpline Childline, flew into Northern Ireland this week where she met the Ballymena man who has taken over as head of the UK-wide organisation.
Head of Childline UK Shaun Friel meeting Dame Esther Rantzen in Belfast.Head of Childline UK Shaun Friel meeting Dame Esther Rantzen in Belfast.
Head of Childline UK Shaun Friel meeting Dame Esther Rantzen in Belfast.

Shaun Friel, who lives in Ballymena but is originally from Scotland, first started working as an online counsellor for the NSPCC-run service in 2002.

Esther met Shaun at ‘An Evening With Dame Esther Rantzen’ hosted by NSPCC sponsors, Belfast-based-debt strategists Bell & Company on Wednesday. The corporate sponsor is also holding a gala ball in aid of Childline at Titanic Belfast on October 18. To book individual or corporate tickets Call 078 8957 1196 or 0330 159 5820 or email [email protected].

Childline is also currently recruiting volunteers for its Belfast and Foyle offices. See: www.nspcc.org.uk/childlinevolunteer for more information.

The Childline helpline is tel 0800 1111.

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