Safer together, safer wherever for Wokingham
Safer Together, Safer Wherever ” an exhibition of artwork produced by children and young people from the Wokingham borough during a street art workshop was unveiled on Wednesday (February 27), at Wokingham Borough Council’s Mall Gallery at Shute End.
The workshop, run by local street artist Callum Kirkland, was held at Twyford Youth Centre as part of the council’s activities during Anti-Bullying Week in November. Through the theme Safer Together, Safer Wherever, they discussed the subject of bullying under the headings: Who bullies? How do people bully? Why do people bully? How does it feel to be bullied? Let’s talk about bullying. They then produced the street art exhibition that will be on display at the Mall Gallery until March 7.
During Anti-Bullying Week last year (November 19 to 23) some 60 pupils from 16 Wokingham schools took part in a special event where they discussed all aspects of bullying both in school and in the wider community. In particular, the week focused on the relatively new form of bullying known as cyber-bullying. The council is aware of issues around cyber bullying including text, MySpace and Bebo, and was keen to make sure young people are not harmed in this way or in the more conventional ways of bullying.
During the Wokingham workshop the children and young people took part in a number of sessions run by a variety of services within the council and artists from the Arts Forum and they considered ways of staying safe in the community. The council’s community wardens, traveller liaison service and youth officers were also on hand to answer any questions or worries young people had in relation to bullying.
The council also held a poster competition with entries submitted by pupils from across the borough. From these, 10 finalists were selected and these images have been reproduced as postcards along with the street art boards on display at The Mall Gallery. The postcards will be distributed to the children and young people across the borough.
The exhibition is open for the public to view until March 7, 8.30am to 5pm every weekday, in The Mall Gallery at the Civic Offices in Shute End.
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Cllr Annette Drake, Wokingham Mayor, officially opened the exhibition and said: “I am impressed with the passion behind the young people’s work and they have worked hard to get the message across that bullying is not acceptable. To build on the work carried out during Anti-Bullying Week, the council has developed two sets of postcards for children and young people, one set comprising the images from the poster competition and the other from the street art workshops. Important anti-bullying messages are printed on the reverse of the postcards with useful information on who to contact if they feel they are being bullied.
“It is wonderful to see the borough’s young people taking such positive steps to stop bullying in their own schools and the wider community.”
John Terry, head of sWokingham afeguarding, said: “Art allows us to express our emotions. It is a great way to tackle bullying by raising awareness and by helping those who’ve been bullied understand they are not alone. The exhibition is of high calibre and it clearly shows that the children and young people of the borough feel very strongly about the issue.
The workshop, run by local street artist Callum Kirkland, was held at Twyford Youth Centre as part of the council’s activities during Anti-Bullying Week in November. Through the theme Safer Together, Safer Wherever, they discussed the subject of bullying under the headings: Who bullies? How do people bully? Why do people bully? How does it feel to be bullied? Let’s talk about bullying. They then produced the street art exhibition that will be on display at the Mall Gallery until March 7.
During Anti-Bullying Week last year (November 19 to 23) some 60 pupils from 16 Wokingham schools took part in a special event where they discussed all aspects of bullying both in school and in the wider community. In particular, the week focused on the relatively new form of bullying known as cyber-bullying. The council is aware of issues around cyber bullying including text, MySpace and Bebo, and was keen to make sure young people are not harmed in this way or in the more conventional ways of bullying.
During the Wokingham workshop the children and young people took part in a number of sessions run by a variety of services within the council and artists from the Arts Forum and they considered ways of staying safe in the community. The council’s community wardens, traveller liaison service and youth officers were also on hand to answer any questions or worries young people had in relation to bullying.
The council also held a poster competition with entries submitted by pupils from across the borough. From these, 10 finalists were selected and these images have been reproduced as postcards along with the street art boards on display at The Mall Gallery. The postcards will be distributed to the children and young people across the borough.
The exhibition is open for the public to view until March 7, 8.30am to 5pm every weekday, in The Mall Gallery at the Civic Offices in Shute End.
More text:
Cllr Annette Drake, Wokingham Mayor, officially opened the exhibition and said: “I am impressed with the passion behind the young people’s work and they have worked hard to get the message across that bullying is not acceptable. To build on the work carried out during Anti-Bullying Week, the council has developed two sets of postcards for children and young people, one set comprising the images from the poster competition and the other from the street art workshops. Important anti-bullying messages are printed on the reverse of the postcards with useful information on who to contact if they feel they are being bullied.
“It is wonderful to see the borough’s young people taking such positive steps to stop bullying in their own schools and the wider community.”
John Terry, head of sWokingham afeguarding, said: “Art allows us to express our emotions. It is a great way to tackle bullying by raising awareness and by helping those who’ve been bullied understand they are not alone. The exhibition is of high calibre and it clearly shows that the children and young people of the borough feel very strongly about the issue.
Wokingham Borough Council
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