Coat of many colours for Joseph helps beat the bullies

Sep 3 2008 By TonyCollins, Education Correspondent

PUPILS in Birmingham are being urged to follow their “dreams” by taking part in a new anti-bullying campaign inspired by hit West End musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Schools across the city are invited to get involved in the national Cut It Out competition which gives children the chance to redesign the famous technicolor dreamcoat from the show.

The seven winners will have their designs brought to life by graduates from the London College of Fashion before being invited with their classmates to meet the star of Joseph, Lee Mead, who will wear the coats on stage at the Adelphi Theatre during Anti Bullying Week, which runs from November 17-21.

They will then be auctioned in aid of the UK’s leading bullying prevention charity, Beatbullying.

Lee, who earned the role of Joseph after winning BBC talent show Any Dream Will Do, said: “I was shocked to hear that 60 per cent of young people have experienced some form of bullying and through my role in Joseph, I can understand the huge impact, both emotional and physical, that bullying can have on people’s lives.

“During anti-bullying week, I will be wearing a different technicolor dreamcoat each night to raise awareness of bullying in society and hopefully help stamp it out.”

Lee was previously seen by Birmingham audiences when he appeared as the Pharaoh in the Hippodrome production of Joseph in August 2004.

Competition entry packs including educational classroom materials and lesson plans are being sent to more than 2,000 schools across the UK as well as being available to download from website www.cutoutbullying.com

The website will also inform teachers and young people about how they can get involved in the competition as well as practical advice from Beatbullying for those who are being bullied.

To ensure the coat designs stand out on stage, children will be asked to consider how different colours, textures and fabrics can be used to communicate the anti-bullying message.