WILLIAM Hague opened a Save the Children shop today (Friday, June 21) – days before highlighting the plight of children caught up in conflict before the UN Security Council.

Foreign Secretary and Richmond Mr Hague cut the ribbon on the newly opened charity shop on Northallerton High Street.

The shop will raise funds for the charity’s campaigns in the UK and areas of disaster and conflict elsewhere in the world, including Syria.

Mr Hague said supporting charities locally was a vital part of their work.

“I think it’s very important,” he said.

“I do a lot of work with Save the Children in many parts of the world. Their chief executive is on one of my advisory groups so I’m always listening to the views of the organisation.”

He said the charity’s recent report on Syria had outlined many of the problems facing children and families in the country. The report also showed brutal and shocking accounts of child torture.

Mr Hague said on Monday (June 24) he will hand over a report on sexual violence in conflict to the UN Security Council with Angelina Jolie, as special envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The North Yorkshire MP recently travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda with the Hollywood actress, to raise awareness of warzone rape and to meet survivors.

“This report is the work I’ve been doing over the last year, partly with Angelina Jolie. She will be there with me at the UN Security Council which I’ll chair on Monday.”

In September the minister will take the issue to the whole of the UN to agree global action on ending sexual violence.