It's that time of year again when children are heading back to school after enjoying a long summer off. But for many, the start of a new term can cause anxiety and fears of being bullied – but celebrities are uniting to let kids know that they're not alone. Peter Andre, Pamela Anderson and Will Pouter are just some of the stars that have offered up their back to school advice in order to raise awareness for The Diana Award’s Anti-Bullying Programme #Back2School campaign.
To mark the start of the school year, celebrities have flooded social media with photos of themselves from their school days and shared encouraging advice to youngsters which they wish they had been told when they were younger. Peter Andre said: "My #Back2School advice is: Always be you, be brave, speak out, be yourself. Don't change and don't let anyone change you because school is the best time of your life and you shouldn't let anyone stop you from being who you are. Don’t be a bystander. If you see someone being bullied, reach out and support them!"
Peter Andre as a young boy
British actor Will Poulter, who starred opposite Jennifer Aniston in We're The Millers, said: "My advice for anyone going back to school would be to learn one of the most important lessons I think there is and that is how you treat the people around you. If you are being bullied or you witness bullying, talk to somebody. Don’t struggle on your own and don’t let anyone feel alone. Research by @antibullyingpro found that 57 per cent of people experience bullying at some point during their time at school. We need to change this by working to make school a happier and safer environment for young people."
Will Poulter
Baywatch star Pamela Anderson shared a quote from E.E. Cummings, which read: "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight."
Pamela Anderson
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I'm A Celebrity star and The Vamps guitarist James McVey shared: "I think if I had any advice for going back to school it would be to try and remember that we are each equal in being different, and that’s something to be celebrated." Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle added: "My #Back2School advice is to always be yourself, be brave and speak out. Don't suffer in silence."
James McVey
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Beth Tweddle
The Diana Award runs the leading Anti-Bullying Campaign in the UK and Ireland giving young people, professionals and parents the skills, confidence and training to tackle all forms of bullying as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors. To find out more about the campaign, visit the anti-bullying pro website.
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