Volunteer for Save the Children Week

During this year's Save the Children Week - Sunday 24 to Saturday 30 April 2005 - the charity is appealing for people to join its army of volunteers to help 'Stop the War on Children'. By giving two hours of time during the week or by making a donation almost everybody can help the millions of children who suffer from conflict.

Save the Children, the UK's leading international children's charity, is looking to enlist volunteers who can help out at collections across Northern Ireland to raise money for its vital work.

War makes children even more vulnerable to diseases. Just two hours collecting can raise around £40 - enough to immunise 40 children in Sri Lanka against measles.

Forced to grow up in horrific circumstances, they are robbed of their childhoods by the brutal realities of war.

Boys as young as eight are abducted and forced to kill in order to survive. Girls of equally young ages are made to join armed groups, not just for combat, but also to provide sexual and domestic services as 'wives' to the adult soldiers. Millions more children are displaced from their homes and even countries.

The money collected will help Save the Children protect these children, reunite them with their families and rehabilitate those from the armed forces. If you are able to support us or would like to make a donation please call Arlene Patterson on 028 9062 0000.