Karen Stacey is a Middleton client and the CEO of Digital Cinema Media. She explains why she is so proud to sit on the board of Childline – a charity that helps to change young lives.
“I first got involved with Childline in 2012 when a business associate saw the need for a service for vulnerable children first‑hand,” says Karen. “I then joined the board in 2022 as one of a group of marketing professionals lending our expertise and creating fundraising opportunities.”
“It’s amazing to think that, when Childline was launched by Esther Rantzen in 1986, children would phone from a local phone box. Since then, the charity has handled more than six million counselling sessions, earning it the nickname of ‘the fourth emergency service’ – yet it is still resourced primarily by volunteers.”
“I’m so proud that our efforts as the Childline Board have helped to raise over £33 million since 2004. The Childline Ball is a star‑studded affair at The Savoy and our key fundraiser. Bringing it back in 2023 after a five‑year break due to the pandemic was a highly emotional occasion where we listened to very moving survivors’ stories.”
“With help from the legendary Lulu, Jason Manford and Emma Willis, and the support of Media, Tech and Advertising leaders, we raised over half a million pounds in one night.”
“My mantra in life is ‘we learn, then earn and return’. Childline is one of my ways of returning.” Karen Stacey
Childline facts
- A young person contacts Childline every 45 seconds.
- 1,100 trained volunteers carry out around 160,000 counselling sessions every year.
- The Childline Board has raised £33m since 2004.
Rebecca Wilcox – Esther Rantzen’s daughter – is now Deputy President of Childline.
Childline – established in 1986 – is a free counselling service for anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through.
