One in three children in the UK have never written or received a letter, despite eight in ten saying they’d be excited to get one, according to new research that aims to combat bullying by spreading positivity.
It comes as 39 per cent of children say they have received ‘nasty’ social media posts, rising to around two thirds (64%) of teenagers, the Nationwide Building Society poll reveals.
The survey coincides with the Positive Post Box campaign coming to branches of Nationwide in Sheffield, Cardiff, and Swindon, letting children write messages of positivity for a new friend and pop it in the Positive Post Box. A surprise celebrity guest will also be in-branch to take photos with members and spread positivity.
The survey found almost six in ten (59%) said getting a letter is better than a text or social media message, with a third (32%) saying they speak to their friends most often online. However, more children (42%) have sent a letter to Santa than their family (39%) or friends (28%), with 28% sending a letter to the Tooth Fairy, the survey showed.
More than 500 schools across the UK signed up to the scheme to help encourage children to write a letter or draw a picture for a child at a partner school. The Positive Post Box scheme was launched by Nationwide and anti-bullying charity The Diana Award to break down barriers by encouraging children to write to one another. It forms part of the work Nationwide and The Diana Award are doing to train 10,000 anti-bullying ambassadors in over 660 primary schools across the UK in three years.
Paul Hibbs, Head of Advertising & Media at Nationwide Building Society, said: “Working with The Diana Award to promote mutual respect and tackle bullying head on by spreading messages of hope and positivity is an honour. The stats around bullying are worrying, so anything we can do to combat the root of the problem is vital, and that’s what we hope to do with this partnership. We want to show children who may be suffering that they’re not alone. At Nationwide, mutual respect has always been a core value to us, so we are incredibly proud to be able to drive such a positive message and promote equality, respect and inclusivity in society.”
Nationwide and The Diana Award have helped train over 8000 anti-bullying ambassadors around the UK. Schoolchildren develop key skills around tackling bullying, celebrating difference, and supporting their peers both online and offline.
