Anti-bullying group praised by government

An innovative campaign to stop bullying before it starts has been praised in Parliament.

Bullying Stinkz was set by Norwich mum Jacqueline Hitchcock-Wyatt and daughter Ellie, who was bullied at a series of schools around the city.

The campaign, which has backing from the likes of Eamonn Holmes and Gabby Logan, aims to create a series of books for children aged one to seven to teach them to accept and celebrate diversity.

Norwich South MP Simon Wright highlighted the campaign in a Commons debate on cyber-bullying on Tuesday.

He told MPs: “The best way to deal with any form of bullying is to stop it before it starts. Bullying Stinkz, which is a new anti-bullying campaign set up by my constituents Jacqueline Hitchcock-Wyatt and her daughter Ellie, aims to do just that.

“They have received celebrity backing, and recently recorded a pop song to highlight the campaign with children of Parkside school in Norwich. Their approach is to reinforce positive messages of diversity, starting at a very young age, and to empower children to speak up before patterns of bullying behaviour become established.”

Education minister Edward Timpson said: “My hon. Friend the Member for Norwich South gave a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved in people’s own communities to tackle this issue, and mentioned his constituent Jacqueline Hitchcock-Wyatt who set up the Bullying Stinkz campaign to empower young people to speak up.

“I commend them for their work. It demonstrates that if we have the will and desire to do so, we can effect change right where it matters.”

Mrs Hitchcock-Wyatt, who gave up her career as a professional photographer to set up the organisation, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic that we are getting some visibility and really making some differences.”