Did you know that one of the most influential figures in helping fight child neglect and cruelty was originally from Greenwich?

Benjamin Waugh, the founder of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, (NSPCC) lived in the affluent area of Croom’s Hill and Woodland Villas, now Vanbrugh Park.

In his honour, a blue plaque can be found 26 Croom’s Hill, although this was erected at the wrong residence as Waugh actually lived in what is now 62 Croom’s Hill.

Waugh was a figure prolific in transforming child protection not only in London, but the UK, and tackled Greenwich’s fair share of child poverty and abuse in the late 19th Century.

He founded the NSPCC on 8 July 1889 at the Mansion House in London, and it was in Greenwich where he established his commitment to child welfare and a strong local reputation.

The intrepid fighter for children’s rights also tackled poverty and social squalor many children in the area lived in. He started “The Society for Temporary Relief in Poverty and Sickness”, as well as “The Waste-Paper and Blacking Brigade”, a day-care institution for young offenders in 1866.

Today the NSPCC still runs, helping neglected children across the country, and recently started a partnership with Greenwich Council to help spread awareness of child neglect in the borough.

The free NSPCC Helpline, which was launched in March 1991, also offers support and advice to anyone who is concerned about a child’s welfare on 0808 800 5000. Children and young people can call Childline on 0800 1111 or get advice via the website on www.childline.org.uk