Card Saver and BES Utilities have today donated £20,000 to support a training programme aimed at tackling bullying in schools.
The Fylde coast-based companies – set up and led by entrepreneur Andy Pilley and his sister Michelle Davidson – have joined forces with Human Behaviour Trainer and Success Coach Norry Ascroft to enable the roll-out of his MADD About Bullying programme to 200 schools across the North West.
This is the second time Andy, who is also chairman of Fleetwood Town Football Club, has pledged a five-figure sum to support Norry’s ground-breaking anti-bullying work.
Earlier this year League One Fleetwood Town gave £10,000 to MADD About Bullying – which stands for ‘Making A Direct Difference’.
The programme, which is presented through a series of engaging video modules, explores the foundation of human behaviour and investigates strategies to tackle negative actions which can lead to bullying.
Fleetwood-based commercial energy supplier BES Utilities and Blackpool-based payment solutions company Card Saver have both donated £10,000 to support the roll-out.
Norry said: “Andy’s generous support is truly wonderful and I can’t thank him and his teams at BES Utilities, Card Saver and Fleetwood Town enough.
“MADD About Bullying is designed to assist teachers, parents and students and make a real and direct difference by addressing behaviour which can lead to bullying.
“Andy’s first donation enabled us to roll-out the programme to 100 schools. This additional £20,000 from Andy and his companies will enable us to reach another 200 North West schools. This fantastic support will make a real difference.”
The MADD About Bullying training programme is funded entirely through sponsors so it can be delivered to schools free of charge.
Andy said: “Norry’s an inspirational person who is so passionate about tackling the serious and complex issue of bullying in schools.
“We are delighted to be able to follow up the earlier backing from Fleetwood Town with additional financial support from BES Utilities and Card Saver.
“We are proud to be sponsors of a programme which could make a real difference for schools and young people.”
Norry set out to help teachers, parents and children after reading about a teenage girl who had committed suicide due to cyber bullying.
Explaining how MADD About Bullying works, Norry added: “Training teachers, parents and children about the behaviour weaknesses that drive bullying is the only way we are going to make a real difference.
“We have received some amazing feedback from schools already using the training programme and getting real benefits from the modules.
“This is something we want to roll out across the UK. Through the support of Andy and our other sponsors, it’s a dream that can become a reality.”
