A SONG written by a North-East sixth former about his experiences as a child is to be performed at a national anti-bullying event.
Lewis Fieldhouse, a student at Barnard Castle School, is to perform his song, Stop, at an event staged by the Anti-bullying Alliance in Central Hall, Westminster, on Monday, to kick off Anti-bullying Week.
The 16-year-old, who now boards happily at Barnard Castle, wrote the song after enduring two years of torment by bullies at a primary school in North Yorkshire.
Lewis, from Harrogate, will perform in front of more than 300 people at an event attended by Anti-bullying Alliance patron Esther Rantzen, education officials, government ministers and newly-appointed Children's Commissioner Al Aynsley-Green.
Lewis said: "From the day I arrived at school, I didn't seem to fit in. It started with name calling and occasionally turned violent, but it was more about segregation."
Left on his own, Lewis turned to writing, a remarkable feat as he is dyslexic and finds it difficult to relate to words and written music.
He said: "I have to play musical instruments by ear as the notes appear to dance around on the paper.
"I played clarinet for seven years without anyone realising I couldn't read music and I play the guitar by feel."
He is also writing a six-book series of fantasy books, called A Boy and His Blade, which he is hoping to have published.
Oliver Marlow, deputy headteacher at Barnard Castle, said: "Like any school, we are keen to support any initiative to highlight the wrongs of bullying and we are very proud that Lewis has been selected to sing at this prestigious event."
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