Aiming to put an end to childhood suffering.

The Friends of the NSPCC, a group aiming to stop cruelty to children across all cultures, raised pounds 2,500 at a charity dinner held at Newcastle's Station Hotel.

Among the guests were Margaret Fay, Chair Designate for One NorthEast, Margaret Carter, Lord Mayor of Newcastle and Deborah Vickerstaff, Head of Appeals for NSPCC in the North.

Said Margaret Fay: "This group has been used as a model within Appeals to try to encourage diversity within our fundraising partners and this is a truly impressive example of how people from all cultures can come together to make a difference for children.

"Cultural change is high on the agenda of the NSPCC. To succeed in our aim to end to cruelty to children full stop, we must ensure that it is no longer acceptable for people to turn away and pretend that this terrible, terrible thing doesn't happen. The organisation is brave, it is pioneering and it is trail blazing."

Margaret told the story of how a frightened nine-year-old boy phoned the 24-hour National Child Protection Helpline asking for help to escape his uncle who would regularly hit him with a wooden stick.

At the time of the call, the boy said his head was still hurting. The charity were able to get a child protection officer to phone the boy back and keep him on the phone while someone went to the house.

Said Margaret: "When we cost everything it actually costs pounds 14 for every call we answer and it is only with the help of people like you that we are able to provide this vital service for all children and employ more people to answer more calls to make a difference to more children."

Deborah Vickerstaff, head of appeals for the North said: "We know that poverty is not the biggest factor in child neglect, although it clearly is a factor.

"We know that children in wealthier, middle class homes are neglected too and neglect can take many forms.

"Is the child who goes home from school to an empty house because his single parent mother has to work but who spends quality time with him on her return home, as neglected as the middle class child whose mother doesn't work but is always too busy and whose father spends many hours working and weekends on the golf course or socialising?

"What strikes me is that where there still exists a cohesive family and extended family unit a child will grow up with a far greater sense of belonging and confidence.

"But sadly, neglect and abuse does occur."