NATIONAL BAN BULLYING WEEK 16 – 20 NOVEMBER 2009
National Ban Bullying Week (referred to as Anti-Bullying Week in some schools) is currently spearheaded across the UK by the National Bullying Helpline based in Swindon.
This year the national ban bullying theme across schools is ‘Cyber-bullying’. National research has found that more than a third of 12–15-year-olds have faced some form of cyber-bullying.
The National Bullying Helpline and students across the UK are seizing the opportunity to highlight the increasing use of mobile phones and the internet, by bullies, as a means to intimidate their targets.
Cyber-bullying is defined by The National Bullying Helpline as ‘Any form of bullying behaviour that occurs through technology’.
Christine Pratt, CEO and founder of the Charity said; “Cyber bullying is on the increase - more and more cases are being reported to our helpline by children and by extremely worried parents. All bullies are cowards and cyber bullying, and any form of bullying for that matter, can have long-lasting and deep-routed effects on a target. We don’t want our children to think of themselves as victims, but as ‘targets’ who can re-position themselves to combat and ‘stamp out’ this unhealthy, anti-social, behaviour”
NEWS for NATIONAL BAN BULLYING WEEK 2009
The Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe MP has accepted an interim role as Patron of the National Bullying Helpline Charity.
Cllr Mary O’Connor, Chair of the London Health Commission has also agreed to be Patron of the Charity.
Ann Widdecombe wrote to the Charity saying; “I very much hope your project is successful because I think that where genuine bullying is taking place the mental stress can be very serious, and a poisoned atmosphere in a working or learning environment can take all the joy out of each and every day”.
LOCALLY
Wiltshire initiatives include;
1. Anti Bullying Vision in Wiltshire Schools.
To help combat bullying, a Swindon Anti- Bullying Vision has been spearheaded by Swindon Borough Council and the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the council, Chaired by Christine Pratt of The National Bullying Helpline.
Christine Pratt explained; The objective of the Vision is to form ‘a common agreement between all organisations and groups that work with and support children and young people, on how bullying should be tackled in both education and community settings’.
The Anti-Bullying Vision has been developed in consultation with Organisations that work with children and young people and their families in Swindon and the surrounding area. The Vision sets out the 7 main principles considered to be essential in combating bullying amongst children and young people. Just this week Swindon Borough Council and counsellors have signed up to the Vision. The next stage is to roll the Anti Bullying Vision out across Wiltshire schools.
2. Friday 20th November 2009 : St Joseph’s Catholic College, Swindon.
St Joseph’s Catholic College based in Swindon is hosting an anti-bullying event to mark National Ban Bullying Week. Eleven schools will be showing film footage and performing plays, poems and dance routines for each other during the 'Blue Friday' event at the school. The anti-bullying event starts at 10am. Guest Speakers include Christine Pratt from The National Bullying Helpline and Clive Maguire, the football and community development manager from Swindon Town Football Club.
Students from St Joseph's, Swindon, will be performing a dance about a girl who is bullied in a fictitious dance class. The victim is bullied initially by one person who then encourages others to join in. The victim also receives threatening text from the bully and is the target of unpleasant posts on Facebook and MSN. The dance ends with the victim informing the teacher about the situation who then resolves the issue. Later, the bully is given a chance to redeem herself. Five schools will also receive anti-bullying accreditation at the event. They are the first schools in the borough to receive this. The schools are: Crowdys Hill School, Peatmoor Community Primary School, Highworth Warneford School, Brook Field Primary School and Shaw Ridge Primary School.
Other Schools participating include;
Churchfields School, Year 8. Kingsdown School, Years 8 and 10. Lainesmead Primary School, Year 6. Dorcan Technology College, Year 6. Peatmoor Primary School, Year 6
Sevenfields Primary School, Year 6. St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Year 6. Holyrood Primary School, Year 6. St Joseph's Catholic College, Years 10 and 13 Commonweal School, Year 7.
3. Saturday 21st November 2009, LINK Centre at 5.45pm: Swindon Wildcats
Swindon Wildcats are hosting a Charity game at The LINK Centre to raise funds for The National Bullying Helpline. Cllr Robert Buckland, guest speaker, will say a few words at the game about national ban bullying week.
The Game kicks off at 5.45. This is a League/Cup game, Swindon v Sheffield. Part of the proceeds from the game will be donated to The National Bullying Helpline charity in recognition of National Ban Bullying week. The remainder will go towards KidZone, to encourage children to learn to skate and eventually participate in this sport.
4. School Visits 2009
Through November and into December Swindon Wildcats and The National Bullying Helpline are visiting in excess of 30 schools in Wiltshire to talk in school assemblies about both anti-bullying initiatives and the importance of healthy eating and exercise, particularly when stressed.
5. Raising Awareness
A number of Schools and Employers nationally are organising a ‘dress down day’ on Friday 20th, proceeds to the National Bullying Helpline to help us continue the combat on Bullying, be it Schools and Playground bullying, Domestic Bullying or Workplace Bullying.
It is not too late to take part. For details and for a FREE poster call 0845 22 55 787.
If you have any concerns about bullying issues, whether you are an adult or a child, call The National Bullying Helpline on 0845 22 55 787
Sunday, 15 November 2009
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
National Bullying Helpline appoints new Patron
The Charity is very pleased to announce the appointment of Councillor Mary O'Connor MBE as Patron. Mary brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the very heart of the areas the National Bullying Helpline is addressing and her help will reinforce the determination of the founders of the helpline to eliminate bullying and harassment throughout society.
Councillor Mary O’Connor was born in Cork, Republic of Ireland, moved to London on New Year’s Eve 1960 to train as a nurse at Hillingdon Hospital. Mary went on to work at Ealing Hospital becoming Senior Nurse Manager before retiring in 1999. Mary was subsequently awarded an MBE for services to Accident and Emergency nursing in 2000.
Since 2002 Mary O’Connor has been a Conservative councillor in the London Borough of Hillingdon. She has pursued her passion for targeting health inequalities by chairing a range of local committees, including Health Scrutiny.
Mary's commitment to championing the needs of the vulnerable and tackling inequalities was demonstrated through her work with Hillingdon’s Community Health Council and in chairing Hillingdon Council’s Corporate Parenting Board and its Domestic Violence Executive and Forum. Mary is also Hillingdon Council’s elected representative on the Fostering and Adoption Panels and is Chairman of Governors at Moorcroft Special Educational Needs Secondary School.
Councillor Mary O’Connor is Chairman of the Londonwide Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JOSC) representing the 32 London Boroughs, the City of London and Essex and Surrey County Councils.
Thus far this is the largest ever scrutiny review. NHS London and the 33 Primary Care Trusts involved have accepted all 34 recommendations from the first stage of this continuing consultation.
Councillor Mary O’Connor was born in Cork, Republic of Ireland, moved to London on New Year’s Eve 1960 to train as a nurse at Hillingdon Hospital. Mary went on to work at Ealing Hospital becoming Senior Nurse Manager before retiring in 1999. Mary was subsequently awarded an MBE for services to Accident and Emergency nursing in 2000.
Since 2002 Mary O’Connor has been a Conservative councillor in the London Borough of Hillingdon. She has pursued her passion for targeting health inequalities by chairing a range of local committees, including Health Scrutiny.
Mary's commitment to championing the needs of the vulnerable and tackling inequalities was demonstrated through her work with Hillingdon’s Community Health Council and in chairing Hillingdon Council’s Corporate Parenting Board and its Domestic Violence Executive and Forum. Mary is also Hillingdon Council’s elected representative on the Fostering and Adoption Panels and is Chairman of Governors at Moorcroft Special Educational Needs Secondary School.
Councillor Mary O’Connor is Chairman of the Londonwide Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JOSC) representing the 32 London Boroughs, the City of London and Essex and Surrey County Councils.
Thus far this is the largest ever scrutiny review. NHS London and the 33 Primary Care Trusts involved have accepted all 34 recommendations from the first stage of this continuing consultation.