February 2020

22 Wanstead Village Directory
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In the first of a series of articles documenting the thoughts and work of
local anti-bullying ambassador Elsa Arnold, the founder of the Spreading
Kindness Through E11 initiative explains her motivation
I’m Elsa. I’m 18 and an A level student. I
have been an anti-bullying ambassador
for The Diana Award charity since the age
of 15, but this topic has always been close to
my heart because of my own experiences,
which led to me struggling a lot with my
mental health.
I really value being able to turn my negative
experiences into something positive, and I am
so grateful to have had so many opportunities
to have been able to do that.
I believe school is an experience you never
forget and that everyone has the right
to enjoy and make the most of it. I want
to be a part of ensuring that happens for
everyone.
In 2017, I started doing more work in the local
community, teaming up with Redbridge
Libraries to deliver anti-bullying workshops,
which are honestly one of my favourite
things to do. I’ve been lucky enough to have
also worked with some local youth groups
and schools.
I’ve experienced bullying at different times in
my life, but the memories from primary school
cross my mind most often. I was never really
aware of what bullying was in primary school,
so I didn’t identify what was happening at
the time. I believed I deserved to feel the
way that I did, and often, one of the hardest
parts was trying to find a friend in myself. So,
being able to work with children now, at the
same age as I was when I struggled, means a
lot because I see it as my duty to be a part of
ensuring the same experiences don’t happen
to anyone else.
I am also a member of the youth panel for the
charity YoungMinds, who do amazing work
for young people’s mental health and are an
amazing, inspiring organisation to be a part of.
But one of the best and most heartwarming
things I feel I have done is team up with
Mark Mountney (owner of Zoology) in 2018
to launch a local initiative called Spreading
Kindness Through E11, because that’s what has
always been at the heart of everything I have
aimed to do. I have also enjoyed teaming up
with local businesses over the last couple of
years to continue spreading the messages
about which I am passionate.
My life is dedicated to helping other people
and being part of making the world a better
place. I can’t wait to see where I can take
this and who I can work with next to help
achieve this.
I’d like to thank the Wanstead Village Directory
for giving me this platform to share a bit of
my story and let you know how you can get
involved. I hope you enjoy reading my articles.
For more information and to read Elsa’s
blog, visit lostinthought-blog.com, or
follow her on Instagram @elsa_arnold
To advertise, call 020 8819 6645 or visit wnstd.com