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Superstars from the WWE have visited Childline in Belfast as part of their ‘Call Out Bullying’ campaign with the NSPCC.

The campaign is focused on helping young people understand why bullying is never acceptable and what to do if they experience or witness it.

The partnership helps parents recognise the warning signs if their child is being bullied allowing them to speak to their children about how to combat the problem.

WWE Raw and Smackdown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and WWE superstar Apollo visited the Childline base in Belfast to speak to pupils from local schools about different types of bullying.

They talked to pupils about what to do if they are being bullied or see bullying happening and explored how emotions can affect how we act and treat others.

Initially launching in the United States, the WWE’s anti-bullying ‘Be a STAR’ programme has reached more than 500,000 children globally.

It aims to develop children’s emotional intelligence to help them become happier, healthier and more compassionate. When children learn how to manage their emotions, their ability to manage conflict can increase and this can help to reduce the amount of incidents of bullying.

The Call Out Bullying campaign was launched in the UK with the NSPCC last November as part of the programme.

Bullying can happen anywhere and to anyone. It can be emotional or physical and it can be in person or online.

Every year, thousands of young people from across the UK contact the NSPCC’s Childline service to discuss concerns about bullying with cyberbullying becoming increasingly prevalent. Last year alone (2017-18), 262 counselling sessions were held with young people from Northern Ireland who had contacted Childline with concerns about bullying.

The NSPCC and WWE are urging any young people affected by bullying to speak to a trusted adult or contact Childline.

Adults are also encouraged to visit the ‘Call out Bullying’ campaign page on the NSPCC website where there is plenty of advice and support on what to do if you are concerned about a child.

Mairead Monds, Head of Childline in Northern Ireland said: “We are excited to team up with WWE to call out a tough and tenacious opponent – bullying.

“At the NSPCC we are acutely aware of the devastating impact that bullying can have, leading to children having low self-esteem and anxiety, and feeling powerless.

“It is vital that we do all we can to support children and their parents and we are thrilled to have teamed up with WWE who have a global audience of millions which includes many children and teenagers.”

Lynch and Apollo were at Childline in Belfast on Wednesday ahead of the WWE Live show at the city’s SSE Arena in the same evening.

The public and WWE fans can support the partnership and the NSPCC’s work to keep more children safe by texting CALLOUT to 70007 to donate £3.*

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