THE firm that owns Chippenham taxi company V Cars has pledged to raise a minimum of £75,000 over the next three years for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, as part of its big campaign to bring an end to child abuse in the UK.

Veezu, which also operates in South Wales, Leeds and Birmingham, has promised to donate 1p to the NSPCC for every booking made using its app over the next three years.

"The private hire and taxi industry provides a vital community service to individuals and families across the country,” Joel Hope-Bell, Veezu’s chief executive officer, said. “As a significant national player in the industry, this feels like a very natural partnership for Veezu and one that we are proud to pledge our support to.

“In a personal capacity, I have been a supporter of the NSPCC for many years and I know just how valuable partnerships with businesses are for the charity, so I am delighted that we can partner with and help benefit such an important and inspiring cause.”

NSPCC, who also run Childline, responded to almost 55,000 calls from adults who were concerned about the welfare of a child in 2015/2016 and carried out more than 300,000 in-depth counselling sessions for children, so the money will be well spent.

Peter Wanless, chief executive officer at NSPCC, added: “We are delighted that Veezu has chosen to support the NSPCC in its fight for every childhood.

“The money raised from app bookings will support crucial services like Childline, which undertook nearly 300,000 counselling sessions with children and young people last year.

“It will also help us to continue delivering our innovative schools service, which helps young children speak out and stay safe from abuse, both in the real world and online.”