Media release from Barnardos NZ
0800 What's Up celebrates 10 years of service to children

0800 What’s Up (0800 942 8787) – the nation’s only dedicated child helpline – will celebrate its 10th birthday at a special event in Auckland on 17 November.

0800 What’s Up is a vital service for children and young people providing free, confidential, professional telephone counselling for five to 18 year olds. The helpline is available from 12 noon to 12 midnight 365 days per year, and receives around 500,000 calls from children each year.

It is important for children to have access to a helpline that is child-centred and meets their specific needs.

To help mark the 10th birthday of the 0800 What’s Up service, children all over the country have participated in an art competition depicting the importance of the child helpline. The winner of the competition will be announced at the birthday party and presented with a Blue Fujifilm Finepix Camera. The competition has been promoted through Sticky TV and What’s Up. The artwork will be used to develop a new 0800 what’s up poster.

0800 What’s Up Ambassadors, international triathlete Terenzo Bozzone, musician Peter Urlich and athlete Cam Calkoen will attend the party and talk about their support for the charity. (Bio notes below) Peter Urlich will perform.

News media are invited to attend the celebration, learn what issues children are calling about, and meet the winner of the 0800 What’s Up art competition.
When: 6-8pm Thursday 17 November 2011
Where: The Business Lounge at Telecom Place
167 Victoria Street West, Auckland

0800 What’s Up Ambassadors

Terenzo Bozzone is a professional Triathlete. He shares his time between New Zealand and America. During High School at Rangitoto College he accumulated 22 National Titles in Triathlon, Cycling and Athletics. He has 26 International victories with 5 x World Championship titles to his name including the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, 2 World Junior Duathlon and 2 World Junior Triathlon titles. Still at a young age in the sport of Ironman Terenzo is going head to head with the big names of the sport and has a long future ahead of him. He is focused, driven and hard working and believes that with this anything is possible. Terenzo is arguably one of the best triathletes in the world.

"The future of tomorrow is in the hands of the youth of today. We have a responsibility to do whatever we can to help mold that future into the best it can be. 0800 What’s Up is an amazing charity and I am proud to say I support it. It is great that kids have somewhere to call when they need help or advice, and I strongly support 0800 What’s Up goal to ensure their telephone lines are open for children 24 hours a day, 365 day a year, to enable every child to get help with their problems. It is essential New Zealanders support charities like 0800 What’s Up in order to ensure our youth the best possibility to succeed". www.terenzo.com

Peter Urlich or PU as he is known to most, is one of New Zealand's iconic performers, musicians and creative personalities. Peter was educated at Sacred Heart College, a Catholic boys school which had a strong musical leaning. The Finn brothers, the Chunn boys, Dave Dobbyn and Ian Morris were all there and this was the site of Peter’s first public performance as a singer. From Th'Dudes, Nice'n'Urlich, the clubs, his compliation albums, his radio shows and his live performances, he is regarded as a key figure in the way the entertainment scene has developed across the past decades. www.peterurlich.com/
Cam Calkoen wows audiences in New Zealand and around the world as one of the ‘newest motivational speakers’ on the circuit. From a “can’t do” (Cam was born with Cerebral Palsy) to a “can do” attitude Cam has gone from doubting his ability to run, to representing New Zealand in Athletics, winning championships in New Zealand, Australia and Canada. Cam now takes his winning attitude into environments that encourage others to achieve their personal best. Cam enjoys working on projects which enhance relationships globally. Cam pushes personal, physical and emotional barriers every day to ensure his life is lived to the max!

“Support is the foundation that goals and dreams are built on and I am to give my support to an organisation to ‘make a difference’ especially if its supporting children and teenagers. I am proud to be involved with 0800What’s Up andI feel that I am helping other young people set goals, connect the dots and create new and exciting possibilities for their future as I have.”

As a finalist in the Kiwi Bank Young New Zealander of the Year Awards for 2010 Cam doesn’t hide from the fact that he is still on a journey, that his Everest is yet to be conquered. Cam believes that it is in striving towards an awesome outcome that we go on to achieve more we could ever have thought was possible. http://camcalkoen.squarespace.com/

© Scoop Media