100 Cheshire organisations come together in anti-bullying pledge

More than one hundred organisations in Cheshire have pledged their support to challenging bullying by signing Cheshire’s first ever Anti-Bullying Charter.

The Charter was launched by Cheshire Anti-Bullying Commission earlier this month in response to its report which looked into bullying among under 25s across the county.

In its first 10 days, the Charter has received more than 100 signatures from a range of organisations, including Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service, Halton Borough Council and more than 40 schools, colleges and nurseries.

Local businesses and sports clubs and even some individual residents have also shown their support for the Charter which asks people to come together in the cause of tackling bullying.

Cheshire Anti-Bullying Commission was established by police and crime commissioner (PCC) David Keane in response to concerns about the impact of bullying in schools and workplaces.

It brought together representatives from the criminal justice, education and academic sectors as well as informed members of the local community to take a closer look at the issue on behalf of Cheshire residents.

Since it was launched in May 2019, the Commission has spoken to hundreds of people across Cheshire who have experienced bullying. It has also reviewed academic research, serious case reviews and coroner’s reports on suicides where bullying has been a factor.

Its phase 1 report found that more needs to be done to not only protect victims but also manage the behaviour of bullies themselves. As part of its recommendations, it called for a united-front to tackle bullying and the Charter is being used as a way of bringing schools, workplaces and community organisations together.

The Commission has also developed a more detailed set of recommendations for policing, local authorities, educations establishments and elected representatives to try to reduce bullying and the impact of bullying across Cheshire.

It will meet in the New Year to review progress against the recommendations before looking to plan phase 2 of its work which specifically focuses on workplace bullying.

PCC David Keane said: “Tackling bullying is everyone’s business so it’s fantastic to see that so many local organisations and individuals have pledged their support to challenging bullying in our communities by signing Cheshire’s first-ever county-wide Anti-Bullying Charter.

“The signatories commit to doing all they can to not only tackle bullying but also helping to raise awareness of the types of bullying that most commonly occur and promoting how to report incidences of bullying safely and without stigma.

“By working together, we can make a real difference and provide more protection for both young people and adults across Cheshire.”

To sign the Cheshire Anti-Bullying Charter and see who else has signed it, please visit: https://www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk/cheshire-anti-bullying-commission/signatories/ 

Pictured - Anti-Bullying Commission members, from left to right: Alan Yates chair of the commission, Ben McCrorie from the PCC’s office, Chief Constable Darren Martland, Ali Stathers-Tracey Director of Early Help and Prevention at Cheshire East Council, Cllr Mallie Poulton community representative, Dr Mike Eslea anti-bully expert, Megan Harps from Cheshire Youth Commission, PCC David Keane.

Picture taken pre Covid-19.