Sara Rowbotham made an honorary member of the NSPCC Council

NSPCC Chief Executive Peter Wanless, Sara Rowbotham, Chairman of NSPCC Trustees Mark Wood CBE

A local councillor who helped to bring to light the shocking scale of child sexual exploitation in the town has been honoured by the NSPCC.

Sara Rowbotham was made an honorary member of the NSPCC Council at the child protection charity’s annual meeting in London.

She was nominated by the NSPCC’s Board of Trustees.

Peter Wanless, Chief Executive of the NSPCC said: “The difference that Sara has made in raising awareness of child sexual exploitation and its devastating consequences is truly remarkable. Her determination to be a voice for those who were powerless to speak up is truly inspiring and she wholly deserved to be made an honorary council member.”

Sara was a sexual health worker in the NHS Crisis Intervention Team in Rochdale, and was instrumental in supporting victims of the grooming gang and bringing those responsible to justice.

She received a Special Recognition honour at the NHS Heroes Awards in May for her work in supporting vulnerable victims.

She is now deputy leader of Rochdale Borough Council as well as Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing.

Sara said: “It was such a great honour to be recognised by the NSPCC and to be in a room full of people who have done such amazing things for the charity, and being recognised has helped in my recovery.

“The nomination was totally unexpected and the reception I got in London from everyone who was gathered there was so warm and welcoming.”

Sara was a guest speaker at the NSPCC’s How Safe conference last year; she spoke to the audience about her role in exposing the Rochdale grooming scandal and the effect it had on her.