Why Norfolk needs GR8 AS U R

This Article Has Been Taken From EDP News On September 2nd 2014

Over the last 17 years, I’ve been lucky enough to have grown up in a loving family, met many amazing people, survived the great and the not-so-great stuff and learned lots of valuable lessons along the way.

However, despite all this, I’ve always had this nagging voice in my head telling me life would be so much easier if only I was like everyone else. If only I didn’t always stick out.

Unfortunately it wasn’t just my nagging voice that told me this. I was reminded that I didn’t fit in, was somehow “wrong”, from the first day I turned up at nursery with a wonky eye, funny glasses and smaller than everyone else (that part hasn’t changed!).

For eight years I was bullied for sticking out and nobody knew how to stop it. I tried moving schools but nothing changed. Some teachers said it was my fault for not fitting in. I felt completely alone and totally ashamed. Nobody knew how to help me.

I hated feeling like this and I don’t like being thought of as a “victim”, but I’m telling my story because I don’t want anyone else to feel like I did.

Wouldn’t it be great if every child could be taught “you’re GR8 AS U R” so they don’t ever have to feel like this?

Wouldn’t it be great if we could stop bullying before it starts?

Professor John West-Burnham (who knows all about education – Google him!!!) said: “GR8 AS U R has the potential to succeed on a huge scale.

“If only children were taught early on that we’re all different in some way and that it is OK to be different, not only would this reduce bullying in schools but it would also benefit society as a whole”.

Let’s make Norfolk GR8 AS U R!

Ellie Bea Hitchcock-Wyatt, 17, co-founder of GR8 AS U R