Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Gemma Lang (& Mom) Speaks - From the UK

Hi All,
Just a quick note to thank you for your lovely messages recently regarding the assaults and bullying I sustained here in the UK. I am just writing to give you a bit of good news really.
On Wednesday 17th November 2004 I finally became a Police Officer. I work as a voluntary police officer here in the UK but when I have completed my degree in law plan to work as a regular officer fullt ime for few year
However a little more exciting than that is on Friday November 19th 2004 I attended an awards ceremony. I have been a fianlist for Community Welsh Woman of the Year 2004. It was the most entered category and to have got to the final 3 at the age of just 19 I was stunned. The other fianlists were fully grown adults who had done wonderful things themselves. However, much to my surprise I won Community Welsh Woman of the Year 2004.
On the Monday was the first ever Anti Bullying week in the UK and I did both local and national interviews for press, including a live interview for Sky News. Also as I was a finalist for another award, including winning Supreme Volunteer of the Year back in March 2004 I have now been offered a 3 year fellowship with the RSA in London.
This is mainly being sent to let you know we're trying here in teh Uk to help stop bullying and maybe this can be an inspiration to your children, some of whom may still be victims. I was a victim until I was about 15. After 9 years of physcial and emotional torment by bullies I decided enough was enough and at 19 have been honoured with this award, but more than that have been able to make a difference. as we all try to do, it prevents our suffering from being in vane.
Anyway, shall let you all get on now as I'm sure your busy. Please get in touch if I can be of any help to you and I have also attached a picture for you to see from the awards night.
Best Wishes and take care,
Gemma Lang
(Founder of Full Stop 2 Bullying!, UK)
P.S. Please can you forward this to all members if it is the wrong email address please Brenda, many thanks. :-)

GEMMA'S MOM -
Dear Brenda,
I have read with interest the story of your wonderful son Jared and can only wonder and marvel at the strength you display when you keep fighting for a law which may help to bring an end to this heartbreaking and cruel problem of bullying.
I am Gemma's mum and follow with interest the fight in the USA to make bullying a crime. We support you all in your fight and only wish we were able to be there with you to lend our full support. As parents my husband and I can only cry for the anguish and despair that parents must suffer at the loss of their beloved child to bullying. Between 16 & 20 children will take their lives each year here in the U.K and just recently young Laura Rhodes ended her life following reports of her suffering at the hands of bullies. Gemma dedicated her award to Laura. Every child has the right to feel safe in the environment in which they learn to enable them to reach their full potential and lead happy, carefree lives.
Gem is a 19 year old Law student and has run her Full Stop 2 Bullying Campaign, counselling service and website for the past 3 years, receiving hits from all over the world. There have been 6,500 hits in the past year alone and Gemma is honoured to be an ambassador for Childline, working alongside DfES Minister Mr Ivan LEwis and anti-bullying charity Childlines' Esther Rantzen and the NSPCC.
Gemma is a positive example of how you can come through the terrible ordeal of bullying as she suffered bullying for 9 years and there were times we too thought she would never survive. We as her parents did out utmost to stop her being hurt. She has just been awarded the Community Welsh Woman of The Year for her FULL STOP 2 BULLYING campaign and we are so very proud of her strength, confidence, willpower and the courage she has to speak out and tell her story. During our first Anti-Bullying week she gave a live Sky News interview which was so well received and messages of support have been received from all over the world to her website. She has spoken at government conferences all over the country this year and I have been proud to stand by her side as her hard-hitting, but caring speech reduced many delegates at the 800 strong conferences to tears.
We are grateful to God that we have not had to face the loss of a child as you and too many other loving parents have, and applaud you in your fight to conquer bullying. Your son was such a very special, beautiful little boy and his Mum is one extra special lady. You are an example to us all, along with all the others involved in the fight against bullying which can have such a soul-destroying affect on its' victims and their families.
Good luck to you all Brenda and if we can help in any way at all please do not hesitate to ask.

With Love & Best Wishes,

Chris Lang (Gemma's Mum) &
Gemma xx

OTHER LINKS
Click here: Full Stop 2 Bullyinghttp://hometown.aol.co.uk/ellelouiselang/bullying.html
Click here: Victim makes a stand http://www.thisisgwent.co.uk/gwent/archive/2003/11/27/news1069937221ZM.html
Click here: ic Wales - 'I WON'T GIVE IN' http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0300business/0420startingup/page.cfm?objectid=13636153&method=full&siteid=50082
Click here: Edexcel : About Us : Media Centre http://www.edexcel.org.uk/aboutus/NewsReleaseArchive.aspx?id=75389&ciid=138981
Click here: ic Wales - 'THE VERBAL BULLYING WAS SO HARD' http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0300business/0420startingup/page.cfm?objectid=13244938&method=full&siteid=50082
Click here: BBC NEWS Wales South East Wales Ambassador role for anti-bully girl http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/3087923.stm
See Gemma on Channel 4's THE SALONon Thursday 4th December
ALSO READ GEMMAS OWN STORY IN WOMANS OWN on sale 18th November 2003
Also Gemma is appearing in Bliss MagazineMay edition on sale in April!
Gemma has also been speaking at the Dfes (Department for education & skills) conferences 'Making a Difference', with people such as MP Ivan Lewis and Esther Rantzen.
Gemma was recently nominated for Welsh Volunteer of the Yearand is honoured to have been 'Highly Commended'Gemma recently won the Supreme Awardin the Voluntary Sector Achievement Awards, presented by Caerphilly County Borough Council and GAVO.
THESE AWARDS ARE SPONSORED BY CAERPHILLY CAMPAIGN NEWSPAPER AND GWENT POLICE
http://www.thisisthevalleys.co.uk/the_valleys/news/NEWS0.html
Gemma has most recently appeared on various television programmesincluding BBC, HTV, Northern Ireland Nolan Live, Real Radio, Radio 1, Red Dragon &Bridge News.
Gemma is featured in the Daily ExpressSaturday September 11th 2004
Gemma is currently a finalist in the Woman in the Communitycategory of this years Welsh Woman ofthe Year Awards.
Ceremony on 19th November 2004

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