Endorsement from David Bull - TV Doctor BBC Watchdog 

"Reseach shows that more than half of Britain's children are bullied at some point while they are at school. As many as one in twenty, are bullied several times a week. It can leave them feeling upset, confused and alone.

My pet hates are bullies and bullying. I was bullied at school and subsequently became very frightened of certain people in the school. I really didn't know why they were picking on me. It was the first year of my secondary school and I was quite different to the person I am today. I didn't like team sports at all at school and I think that was a factor. I hated rugby, hockey, running - anything where you spent hours freezing to death in the middle of a field! Also I tended to work quite hard, which wasn't seen as a very macho thing to do, and I enjoyed music and drama. To begin with I tried to stand up to the bullies, but it seemed to make it worse. They used this to feed their passion to make fun of me. Eventually I started to ignore them, they didn't get a reaction and in time the bullying fizzled out. Later on in the school, I became head of the day boys and I made it my mission to stamp out bullying wherever I could.

Bullies are cowards. Bullying is evil and manipulative. Bullying can take different forms:

• PHYSICAL BULLYING - where the person may be hit, kicked, have their hair pulled etc.

• VERBAL BULLYING - where they're called foul and hurtful names

• SOCIAL BULLYING - where people are left out and ignored.

During my time on BBC Newsround, I met many children who had suffered at the hands of bullies. Many of their stories made me extremely angry and brought back some of the feelings I had at school.

Bullying can affect children in different ways, many have to leave school and many become physically ill - with asthma attacks, outbreaks of eczema., mood changes and loss of appetite.

The most important thing to do if you're being bullied is to tell someone you trust. Don't bottle up your emotions. TELL SOMEONE - maybe your parents, guardian, an older friend, your GP or a sympathetic teacher. Talk to others as well.

This web site is a fantastic idea because it's a place where you realise that you are not alone, you can talk online to others in the same position, pool ideas and come up with a plan together. It's very important to feel that you have support and that's why I think this web site is such a brilliant idea.

You have to tackle bullies and bullying. You are the strong one and the bullies are the cowards. Don't let them ruin your life.

Good Luck and Best Wishes"

Dr David Bull
BBC Watchdog