Joe Calzaghe's message to school bullies

Retired boxing champion Joe Calzaghe has launched an anti-bullying campaign, revealing that school bullies turned him into an "introverted wreck". Backing social networking site CyberMentors, which provides a forum for youngsters to ask their own peers about how to cope with bullying, the unbeaten Welshman said bullying is "a serious issue for thousands of youngsters". Calzaghe, who turned 37 on Monday, said: "For two years I was bullied, called names and ignored by former friends which turned me from a happy, outgoing kid who enjoyed school and schoolwork, into an introverted wreck, detached from his studies and scared of his own shadow during school hours. "Unfortunately, in the age of the internet - which didn't exist in my school days - cyber-bullying has now added to the misery bullies can inflict. "If I can take my own experience and raise awareness and help because of what I've achieved in boxing then I will be happy." The former world super-middleweight champion said that since the site's launch on March 3 it has been visited by more than 23,000 young people. Creators Beatbullying, of which Calzaghe is a patron, hope that with their latest advertising campaign even more young people will visit the site for help and advice. Emma-Jane Cross, chief executive of Beatbullying, said: "Bullying in any form is unacceptable but sadly it is an issue that has only been propagated by digital innovations. "Beatbullying and M&C Saatchi have deliberately worked with the young people to create a series of ads that will resonate with them and make them think about their actions and what they can do to help make a change. "The advertising campaign is the next step in our ongoing work to educate victims that help is out there and for the bullies to understand that they can change." The website can be found at www.cybermentors.org.uk.

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ITN | March 24, 2009

Tags:. .schoolwork. .saatchi. .welshman. .introverted. .propagated