Players back anti-bullying drive

Owais Shah, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann

England’s players have given their support to a new nationwide campaign against bullying.

Backed by England team sponsor Vodafone, an anti-bullying competition, ‘Cut it Out’, has been launched to give school children the chance to redesign the famous coat from the west end musical, Joseph and the amazing technicolour dreamcoat.

The seven best designs from across the UK will be brought to life by aspiring designers from the London College of Fashion and worn on stage by Lee Mead during Anti-Bullying Week (November 17-21) before being auctioned for the UK’s leading anti-bullying charity, Beatbullying.

Competition entry packs including educational classroom materials and lesson plans will be sent to over 2,000 schools across the UK as well as being available to download from the competition website at www.cutoutbullying.com.

Ravi Bopara shows his support in a campaign shirt

The website will also inform teachers and school children about how they can get involved in the competition and contain practical advice from Beatbullying for those children who are being bullied or someone affected by bulling.

Mead, the star of the show, said: “I was shocked to hear that 60 per cent of young people have experienced some form of bullying and through my role in Joseph, I can understand the huge impact, both emotional and physical bullying can have on people’s lives.

"During anti-bullying week, I will be wearing a different technicolour dream coat each night to raise awareness of bullying in society and hopefully help stamp it out.”

The “Cut it Out” competition will challenge school children to re-design the famous technicolour dreamcoat based on the theme of bullying. To ensure the designs stand out on stage children will be asked to consider how different colours, textures and fabrics can be used to communicate the anti-bullying message. All entries will be accompanied with a short statement on the inspiration behind the design.

Once the seven best designs have been selected by a panel of fashion experts, graduates from the London College of Fashion will work closely with the children to turn the designs into reality. The seven winners will be invited to London with their classmates to meet Mead and to see their jacket worn on the West End stage.

Nicki Woodhead, corporate responsibility manager for Vodafone UK, added: “We are committed to raising awareness of the impact of bullying and we are delighted to partner with one of the most successful musicals of all time which continues to be extremely popular within schools. This campaign is designed to reach teenagers but also teachers and parents who are looking for advice in providing support to those being bullied.”

Anti-Bullying Week is held between November 17-21 and is an annual UK event which focuses on the effects of bullying and how to prevent it. The week is supported by the Anti-Bullying Alliance which is composed of over sixty organisations including Beatbullying.