Last chance to nominate - who's helped to promote body confidence in children this year?

[KateMumsnet]

Hello

Some of you might remember that we've joined up with the Campaign for Body Confidence, to try to reduce the pressure on all of us to look perfect and to promote a more positive body image - particularly among children and young people. You can find out more about the campaign here.

Supportive parliamentarians have now formed a cross-party forum to look into body image anxiety in the UK, and they'll be reporting back later this year. In the meantime, the two groups are launching the Body Confidence Awards, celebrating the contribution of individuals, organisations and companies who've helped to promote body confidence over the last year.

We're very pleased to announce that we'll be there on the night, to present the Mumsnet Award for promoting body confidence in children.

Could you help us out by getting your thinking caps on, and letting us know who you think deserves the award? Feel free to think creatively - the winner could be a product or an organisation, but it could equally be an individual or even a TV or book character.

Please leave your suggestions on the thread - the one with the most mentions wins the gong!

[SkiBumMum]

Pinkstinks seem to be doing a great job

[myfourbubbas1]

gok wan!! amazing series on channel 4

[NinthWave]

Excellent post Grumpla

[outnumbered1]

nicky hutchinson and chris calland - two women who have worked wonders highlighting the issue of body image in their book , Body Image in the Primary School.. really pioneering.

[Sunworshipper]

My vote goes to Changing Faces, an amazing charity that has literally transformed the lives of thousands of children with disfigurements so that they feel good about themselves and the way they look and have the confidence to walk down the street with their heads held high. Not only this - every child gets to learn ways to handle the comments, staring and bullying that are part of their every day life. Their Harry Potter workshops are legendary!

[Buppy2012]

I would like to nominate Changing Faces for promoting body confidence in children (and also in adults actually!) for all the reasons mentioned above plus their fantastic poster campaigns and involvement in Channel 4's series 'Beauty and the Beast: The Ugly Face of Prejudice' amongst many other things. A really great organisation.

[Mellyf]

I'd like to nominate Chris Calland and Nicky Hutchinson who have written Body Image in the Primary School. They have really helped to improve awareness of this very important issue, not only for older children but for the primary and junior school age child.

Melanie

[PosiePumblechook]

TeaTowelQueen Wed 29-Feb-12 09:15:38
Cerrie from CBeebies, Ellie Simmonds, and the wonderful Gok, I loved his teen series best of all, useful for parents as well as children.

Oh and Adele, what a fabulous talent, grounded, dedicated and doesn't fit the pop stereotype on many different levels.






Completely agree.

[Trba]

Stephanie Heart, campaigning and working with teenage girls, she runs interactive seminars that promote healthy self image and gives girls the chance to break the mould... //www.stephanieheart.com

[Jux]

Pink Stinks, definitely.

[EmilyPollifaxInnocentTourist]

Another vote for Pink Stinks here.

[Fillybuster]

For younger children: Cerie from CBeebies and Mr Tumble.

[vogonmothership]

Cerrie - showing that it is normal to be different and your 'image' is not a barrier

[Solo]

Gok.

[Solo]

Ooops! posted too soon.

Gok, because as children grow up, they will most likely forget Mr Tumble and Cerrie, but Gok is someone that will, because of his straight talking and massive personality stick in the minds of everyone throughout their teens and into adulthood.

[AbigailAdams]

Can't quite believe the votes for a man who gropes women for a living. And then makes them change into a more societal ideal. Yeuch. I notice he doesn't do it to men either.

Changing faces sounds lovely (although I don't know much about them) and Pinkstinks is great.

However, Ellie Simmonds is my vote (thanks whoever suggested them).

[maybeyoushoulddrive]

Helen Skelton is amazing and such a great role model. She is the living example of using her body to accomplish amazing things without seeming to care what she looks like doing them. My dd(8) loves her!

Please not Gok although I love him but I don't think he's truly about body confidence.

[AliceHurled]

Pink stinks or Cerrie please

And another down vote for bloody Gok. He may talk the talk but he then continues to perpetuate the bollocks. And he uses his status to grope women. Please not him.

[Wigginsbottom]

Pink Stinks! A brilliant, well-informed site with useful discussion and ideas.

[MrsChemist]

Pink stinks

[EmilyPollifaxInnocentTourist]

I loathe Gok Wan.

I can not believe he is being nominated when all he does is reinforce the idea that women are only worthy of attention if they meet patriarchal norms.

[culturemulcher]

P.O.P. clothes - just what children's clothes should be: colourful, practical, fun. They're in no way "girly", just great unisex clothes... FANTASTIC if you've got a DD and DS.

They seem to be the only kids clothing company that treats kids as kids, not mini princes and princesses.

Shame about the price though

[emdelafield]

Possibly only appeals to older children but I think Miranda Hart is excellent in a "good sport"/have a go sort of way.

She is very tall and not conventional looking but as she says "such fun" with energy and enthusiasm.

[BasilFoulTea]

Have i already voted?

I think I want PinkStinks