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Kick Bullying Into Touch
Boys and girls aged 6 to 11 years across England will be taking part in the specially devised rugby programme; 'Kicking Bullying Into Touch', which will see each of the 12 Guinness Premiership Clubs and National Division One team Leeds Carnegie taking anti-bullying training into 780 primary schools over the next 18 months.
The partnership was launched at the start of national Anti-Bullying Week (17th to 21st November 2008) and marked the beginning of a wider awareness-raising and fundraising partnership between ChildLine and the Guinness Premiership. As part of the programme, the Guinness Premiership is making round twenty of the 2008-09 Guinness Premiership season a special round of matches designed to raise awareness and funds for ChildLine, as they did so successfully last season with Breast Cancer Care.
Last year ChildLine counselled 32,562 children calling about bullying - on 0800 1111 - around 18% of all children counselled by the free helpline provided by the NSPCC.
Speaking about the partnership between ChildLine and the Guinness Premiership, Saints captain and club ambassador for anti-bullying, Dylan Hartley said "it is a great cause and great to be able to get involved, bullying is a problem a lot of people face and hopefully I can do my bit by going to some schools and help kick bullying into touch."
Founder and President of ChildLine Esther Rantzen said: "Bullying can devastate children's lives and it's vital that all children know bullying is wrong and how to get help if it happens to them. Taking part in sport like rugby can build teamwork skills and respect for others.
"As the daughter of a rugby player, the widow of a rugby player, and the mother of a rugby player, I am delighted that Premier Rugby has chosen to work with ChildLine and I hope this partnership will also raise awareness of ChildLine with families, as well as help raise the vital funds for our Child's Voice Appeal so that 500,000 more children every year will be counselled by ChildLine volunteers by 2011."
Premier Rugby's Community Manager Wayne Morris said, "The Kicking Bullying Into Touch programme is a great way for us to use our unique assets, namely our club brands and players, to tackle an issue that is very high on the government's agenda. Rugby thrives on its diversity, where all different types of people come together to create a successful team. By using some of the key skills in the game, within the inclusive environment rugby generates, we believe the programme will make a real difference to the lives of young children."
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