Grantham Football Club director launches anti-bullying book after son’s experience

A football club director has penned a new book to address bullying issues following his own son's experiences at school.

Nick Johnston, a director at Grantham Football Club, has recently published "Stand Strong: How to Tame a Bully and Get Your Life Back".

The book offers practical advice and proven strategies for children facing bullying and is priced at £5.99, available on Amazon.

Tailored for the five to eight-year-old range, it provides essential tools for navigating the challenging landscape of bullying.

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Nick, a former Grantham native now living in Stamford, shared the personal inspiration behind the book.

His son, Joseph, diagnosed with global developmental delay at a young age, encountered bullying incidents at school.

In a bid to help Joseph, Nick engaged with therapists, and he said: "One of his therapists shared some strategies on what to do if it happens again.

“We found it very helpful and easy to implement.

“Talking to him more about it, he revealed that he was bullied himself and that he understood what my son was going through."

These methods not only aided Joseph but also motivated Nick to compile them into a comprehensive guide for other families facing similar challenges.

The acronym Stand, representing ‘Stay calm, Acquire Proof, No fear, and Disclose to teachers’, forms the core of the book's advice.

This approach, Nick asserts, empowers children without resorting to violence, offering a roadmap to a bully-free future.

Nick, a former pupil of The King's School, explained: "We all know schools don't condone violence. So staying calm is crucial.

“You have to have proof that the bullying is really happening for it to stop,” he added, warning victims and their families to avoid “classical” cases of “he said, she said”.

He emphasises that showing no fear in disclosing it to school authorities is as important as all the steps.

“There are cases when even if the child being bullied has evidence or witnesses about the incidents, coming forward is scary.

“You don’t know if the bully will retaliate. Will disclosing the evidence to school authorities make the situation much worse or will it eventually stop the bullying?

“Fear can make you indecisive so showing “No fear” is as important as all the steps.”

However, Nick said putting all the steps together will help and he wants to raise awareness of the methods not only to those being bullied but to friends and families who want to help.

“Together, we Stand - We stand up against the bully, and we do so without resorting to violence," he said.

Nick plans to visit local schools, reading "Stand Strong" to children and promoting the anti-bullying message.