We rely on the fact that when a lonely, abused or neglected child summons up the courage to phone the NSPCC, there will always be a kind, friendly voice on the end of the phone, writes Katherine MacAlister.

Think again. Due to a lack of funding, only 786 calls out of the 1730 calls made from Oxfordshire last year were answered, so only 42 per cent managed to get through.

When you imagine what it must take a child to make that call, it is heart-breaking that 58 per cent go unanswered, maybe never to call again.

As Mike Bond, area child services manager for Oxfordshire, says: "What you tend to find is that children have tried to talk to someone at home and have not got anywhere, so by the time they come to talk to the helpline they have thought long and hard about speaking to someone and are very desperate by that stage."

Some calls are from adults, phoning to tip the NSPCC off about children they think are being abused, and their calls are just as vital. In theory, faced with these grim statistics, the people of Oxfordshire should be giving their full support to NSPCC campaigns.

But the reality is very different. The Full Stop Campaign was launched in February by the NSPCC. Organisers have called on the working population of Oxfordshire 277,000 people to donate just 1 to the charity. They are hoping to collect just under 300,000 but so far, six months into the appeal, just588 has been raised. The remaining 200,000 will be generated at several fund-raising events, including the sponsored walk.

Brigadier Ian Inshaw, chairman of the appeal, says: "I think people assume that because Oxfordshire is a relatively wealthy and educated county, child abuse doesn't happen here. That is of course nonsense, it happens everywhere regardless of children's backgrounds. It has no boundaries."

But Oxfordshire has another chance to raise the money The Great Round Oxfordshire Walk is being held on September 16 and relies on mass participation. The NSPCC needs 5,000 people to take part in the 8-10 mile sponsored walk, in 20 legs, around the county border. Up to 250 people are expected to do each leg, which will take about four hours each, along bridlepaths, led by army cadets and ramblers.

The money raised for the 500,000 appeal will be spent on improving the helpline and funding a training programme aimed at 'helping the helpers', so that people like teachers, child-minders, carers, sport centre staff and anyone else that comes into frequent contact with children, can spot the signs of child abuse and know how to deal with it.

Money will also go towards the vastly overworked Special Investigation Unit.

To take part in the walk, pick up a form from any branch of Nat West or Barclays, where you can register and pay your 3 entry fee. Or call 01908 359760