A Cumbrian woman was named as an anti-bullying charity’s first ambassador at an event celebrating her hard work.
Diana Banks, a Sellafield worker from Egremont, raised £1,287 for Spiral, based in Carlisle, to help expand its services across the county, by completing a 25-kilometre walk around London and holding a raffle.
Ms Banks said she became interested in the charity for personal reasons, and shared that her experience of bullying led to low self-esteem and ongoing struggles with depression.
She explained that Spiral is an important charity because it helps people and their families understand and cope with the effects of bullying.
Long-lasting effects of bullying are near-ubiquitous among victims of bullying, and Ms Banks said that her fundraising efforts have positively impacted her mental health and self-image, and plans to continue fundraising through more walks next year.
Maryann Liddle, CEO and founder of Spiral, said during the event at Spiral's HQ in Carlisle on September 28: “Today is a thank you for what Diana's done.
“She’s travelled all the way down to London, did a 25k walk in the rain, and she's also got friends, family and colleagues involved - we're pleased to say that she's become an ambassador for us,” Ms Liddle said.
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She said she founded the charity due to her brother’s experience of bullying in school and at work, which led to him developing alopecia, and had a negative effect on the family as a whole.
The effects of bullying are not widely known and the awareness of the risks is not widely raised, but Spiral aims to provide a safe space for victims of bullying to feel valued and heard and offers workshops for those working with young people to effectively respond to bullying.
People who are interested in learning more about the charity, or who want to reach out for help for any reason, can do so by going to Spiral’s website - spiralcumbria.org.uk -on which staff contact information is available.
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