Party, Party, Party!

So yeah Saturday night was really good we raised over £480 pounds at the Fundraising Disco for Bully Free Zone. We had everything from face painting and raffles to the good old karaoke sing-song, some great things happened like when Jenneh won the mystery envelope prize. Inside were v.i.p tickets for two to Bolton Little Theatre to see a production of her choice. I suspect she will take her boyfriend.

Also, I helped raise over £100 that night selling the tickets for the mystery envelope. The dance off between Kev and Jenneh was legendary, so funny. One of the young people, Colette, whose family organised the event said, “it was fun and exciting i enjoyed singing on the karaoke“.

A big thank you to everyone who came and got involved, especially the volunteers and Colette’s grandma, Jean.

Written by Tom.

One great reason for helping Children in Need

FUN and frolics today will bring in millions of pounds for Children in Need — which will then be distributed up and down the country to causes which make a real difference to people’s lives.

One of those to have benefited from Children in Need funding is Boltonbased Bully Free Zone, which has helped hundreds of children and families — and even saved lives.

In the past six years the charity, based in Chorley New Road, has received around £30,000 a year from Children in Need.

Without the grant and other similar sources of funding, the charity would not be able to continue its work in helping victims of bullying.

Since establishing itself 14 years ago, the charity has become an integral part of services available to children and families in Bolton.

Project co-ordinator Kev Walsh said: “This funding is absolutely vital to the Family Support Project we have. Bully Free Zone depends solely on grant funding. We do not get funding from the council or other agencies, although we have referrals from the local authority, the health service and schools.”

He added: “Bully Free Zone has saved lives. We have had young people who have expressed committing suicide or harming themselves. They are now confident and happy and living their lives.”

Many of the young people who have been helped by the charity are now volunteers with Bully Free Zone.
The charity also works with perpetrators of bullying, helping them to deal with issues such as anger management and peer pressure. It also helps set up prevention schemes in schools.

Unfortunately, the Children in Need funding will run out in April and the charity will have to look for other sources of funding to carrying on its work.

Mr Walsh said the charity needed the help of the community and appealed to businesses to lend their expertise as well as local people.

Children in Need mascot Pudsey Bear kickstarted the marathon fundraising effort in Bolton today. The bear will be taken to primary schools to collect money raised by children who wore yellow for the day and took part in “baking a bear”.

He made a surprise visit to The Oaks in Sharples yesterday and today he will revisit the school, along with Sharples Primary and Gaskell Street Primary to collect the money.

Also getting in on the act today will be St Paul’s CE Primary in Astley Bridge, which is organising a St Paul’s has got Talent event for staff and pupils.

Chris Baldwin, community colleague at Asda, said: “We get behind Children in Need every year and this year hope to raise more money than ever before.

“Children are paying a £1 to wear yellow and have been given plastic cutters to make Pudsey to sell to family and friends.”

● Anybody who can help Bully Free Zone by holding fundraising events — or businesses which can help — can contact the charity on 01204 454 958.

(From The Bolton News)

Reduce Bullying? Teach Human Rights.

 

Unicef project in hundreds of UK schools helps to foster calmer classrooms and a reduction in bullying and truancy.

Teaching children about their human rights can reduce bullying and exclusions, improve relations with teachers and create a calmer atmosphere for learning, according to an academic study published today.

A Unicef UK project running in more than 1,000 schools across Britain teaches pupils about their rights and responsibilities, and encourages them to draw up charters for classroom behaviour.

The first evaluation of the project since its launch in 2004 has found that its introduction was accompanied by a fall in truancy and an improvement in results at schools with a high proportion of children on free school meals.

The evidence is highlighted in a three-year study of the Rights Respecting School Award (RRSA), undertaken by researchers at the universities of Sussex and Brighton.

In a study of 31 schools, researchers found that there was "little or no shouting" and that conflicts between pupils escalated far less frequently than they had done before the schools adopted the new approach. Fixed-term exclusions decreased in 13 schools, stabilised in three, and five reported no exclusions, the study says.

Pupils increasingly took part in making decisions, ranging from debates about the state of the playground to discussions on staff appointments. In some schools, pupils showed candidates for teaching jobs around the school and identified questions they wanted to ask.

Pupils also gave feedback after candidates for teaching jobs gave sample lessons.

Anita Tiessen, deputy executive director of Unicef UK, said: "It is wrong that all children in the UK don't learn about their rights. Today's evaluation report shows what a profound effect it can have not only on children, but teachers, school leaders, governors and parents."

Meanwhile, research published today by the educational charity the Sutton Trust finds that poor children are twice as likely to start school with behaviour problems, compared with their more privileged peers. More than a third (35%) of the poorest three-year-old boys displayed behaviour problems, compared with one in six (15%) of those living in richer households, the study says.

The research, by Elizabeth Washbrook of Bristol University, asked parents to rate their child's behaviour in terms of hyperactivity and inattention, problems with conduct, emotional symptoms, and peer-related problems.

By the age of seven, 22% of the poorest boys still suffered from behaviour problems, compared towith 10% of those from richer homes.

Amongst girls, the rates were lower, but nearly a third of the poorest girls exhibited symptoms of behaviour problems at the age of three, which dropped to a fifth at age seven.

The research suggests that the gap in behaviour between poorer and wealthier children has widened over the last 10 years. Girls from low-income families who were born in the early 1990s were twice as likely to display behavioural problems than their peers at age seven. Those born around the millennium were three-and-a-half times as likely to show such symptoms.

Behaviour problems are more common among children from disadvantaged backgrounds, the study says, and the differences between rich and poor are starkest at the age of three, before children begin school.

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the education charity Sutton Trust, said: "This study builds on earlier evidence from the trust showing that children from poorer homes are already one year behind their middle-income peers on cognitive tests when they start school.

"We now know that disadvantaged children are also much more likely to have difficult and challenging behaviour. It is no wonder that the gaps in achievement grow during primary school.

"More than anything, the research shows once again why it is so important to intervene pre-school to stem problems before they develop."

Taken from Guardian.co.uk

"It's not a sign of weakness" - Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle has revealed that she considered suicide after she became a victim of bullies as a teenager.

The Scots singer admitted that she had suffered from psychological bullying and seeked professional help to overcome her ordeal.

She told the News of the World: "When I was 17 I did think about doing something nasty. It was all psychological. I was damaged.

"I had to get help from a professional. I also had to see a doctor who gave me treatment."

She added: "You mustn't be afraid to do that. It's not a sign of weakness.

"It gave me the confidence to fight back, knock on people's doors, audition and finally get what I wanted.

"In my case it was a small group of teenage girls that put me to that place. They're the worst kind. It can really hold you back and damage you. Mental bullying is the worst kind of bullying."

The Britain's Got Talent star added that she "will not let fame" change her and added that it is "nicer to stay grounded".

This article has been taken from www.stv.tv.

Thank You Everyone!

We’d like to say a huge thank you for all of the donations made over the last 12 months.

A particular thanks to all of the young people, volunteers and friends of Bully Free Zone who have helped raise money during the numerous bag packing and supermarket collection events we've held. Collectively we've raised over £2000 at Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsburys stores around Bolton.

Thanks also to Sunninghill School for generously donating proceeds from their school fair and allowing us to hold a stall there on the day, raising over £300 in total.

Thank you to The Gates school, Rivington & Blackrod High School, Watergate Toll Toby Carvery, Nat West and Brian Iddon (ex-MP of Bolton) for making donations or holding fundraising events in order to raise money for us.

Thanks to all of the many people who have sponsored our young people and volunteers during our annual sponsored walk event and to everyone who has donated through our Virgin Money Giving page. Especially to Gary Neville for providing us with signed Manchester United football shirts which helped in raising money.

A massive thank you to all of the people of Bolton and beyond who donated money during all of these events.

Fighting Back

Has anyone ever told you to fight back if you're being bullied? If someone hits you, hit them back? It seems a common piece of advice that parents, grandparents and siblings alike pass on to their relatives when they're being picked on. But is it the right thing to do?

Bully Free Zone says no.

Here's an example of only one of the reasons why fighting back is not the answer.

Girl suspended after reacting to "bullying"


AN ANGRY dad who claims his daughter has been the victim of cruel school bullies has slammed council chiefs after she was suspended from lessons for “fighting back”.


Roy Graham insists his 12-year-old girl Samantha has suffered bullying since she was a pupil at Heriot Primary, in Paisley, and the problems have continued after she moved on to Gleniffer High after the summer break.


He was horrified when Samantha was handed a two-day suspension by Gleniffer High staff for fighting with another pupil.


Mr Graham claims that his daughter was merely defending herself and he is now locked in a war of words with the school in a bid to have the punishment quashed.


He took Samantha along to Gleniffer High yesterday morning – the first day of the ban – but was refused entry by school staff.


Mr Graham said: “They are treating my daughter as the aggressor and that’s not on.
“In my eyes, she has done nothing wrong, so why are they denying her a right to education?”


The Paisley man claims Samantha was targeted by a bully last week.


He said that, when the school bell rang, Samantha made her way to the top of a staircase and was pushed from behind.


Mr Graham then alleges that a bully caught up with his daughter at the foot of the stairs and started to thump her.


But, when Samantha “defended herself”, it was the other girl who ended up on the floor.


The incident was brought to the attention of school staff and Samantha, along with the other pupil, was suspended.


Mr Graham, of Foxbar Road, said: “Kids can only take so much. It was only after many bullying incidents that Samantha hit back.


“She is not a troublemaker and never received so much as a punishment exercise in seven years of primary school.


“I’m told that the other girl involved in this incident had just returned to school after serving another suspension for thumping someone else.”


After being refused entry to Gleniffer High yesterday, Mr Graham and Samantha visited the education department at Renfrewshire Council.


He said: “I told them about the situation and they promised to investigate but I don’t hold out much hope for a successful outcome.”


However, a spokesman for Renfrewshire Council defended the decision to hand Samantha a suspension.


He said: “The council has a strong anti-bullying policy which is operated by all our schools. We fully investigate all allegations of bullying.


“Statements were taken from pupils who witnessed the incident and they gave a consistent account of what had happened.


“In the light of these statements and after considering the full background to the case, the school has taken appropriate action.”

Taken from http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk

Fighting back can cause you and/or someone else to get hurt, like Samantha you may end up in serious trouble and if you're being bullied, the last thing I imagine you would want is to be labelled the bully.

The most important thing you can do if you're being bullied is to TELL SOMEONE!

'David V Goliath' opera receives anti-Bullying award

A rock musical performed by children in West Oxfordshire has received national recognition.

'David V Goliath' has been given the The Diana Anti-Bullying Award, presented by author Philip Pullman.

The play was originally performed for four sold out nights at the Witney Corn Exchange by pupils of The Witchwood School of Rock.

Writer Lee Wyatt-Buchan believed it was the play's strong message that led to its rave reviews.

"The idea was to write a musical that had a point," he told BBC Oxford.

"My real motivation was to write a musical for schools and I thought a good idea would be to focus it on bullying."

Robin Martin-Oliver directed the show which included a cast of 20, with performers aged between ten and 17 years, with one adult performer.

Schools nationwide will now have access to the script and score of 'David V Goliath', as per the writer's original vision.

"We still want to work with schools and have school packs available to use as a tool to talk about how to deal with bullying. It's so important, it's so difficult to deal with and this is a fun way.

"Obviously it's rock music so it's current and from what we've seen with our young cast - who were fantastic - they really responded well with the script and the music and the message."

The Anti-Bullying Alliance came to view the show in April and subsequently put it forward for the award.

"A month later through the post we had the letter saying we'd won the national anti-bullying award from the Diana charity so we were really stoked."

Lee Wyatt-Buchan has since signed a contract with producers in London to bring the musical to a wider audience.

A UK tour will take place next Autumn, with a London run in early 2012. The show will be featuring a professional cast but the emphasis will be on casting new talent.

"We as a creative team are so proud of the guys to get this far," said Lee Wyatt-Buchan.

"To win this award is fantastic."

(article taken from the BBC News)