An MP has unveiled a new memorial bench for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
The bench is at the Milne and Shepard memorial in the Ashdown Forest.
Unveiling the bench, MP for Wealden Nusrat Ghani said: "I pay tribute to the victims and survivors who have shared their testimonies and experiences."
The bench is sponsored by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and is one of 200 memorial benches and plaques being placed across England and Wales.
Each is inscribed with uplifting messages gathered directly from victims and survivors who have taken part in the inquiry's truth project.
The memorial to A A Milne and E H Shepard, the creators of Winnie-the-Pooh, is a popular sight in the Ashdown Forest, where the novel is set.
Ms Ghani said: "I am pleased that this new bench on our beautiful Ashdown Forest will contribute to ensuring that their voices continue to be heard, so that children can be better protected in the future.
"Nothing is more wicked than hurting a child, and there is no excuse for those who perpetrate this abhorrent crime. It is not easy coming forward to seek help and it takes a lion heart to take on the perpetrator."
The original article is available here.
