Girl and mum share bullying struggles in new show

Erum Khan (left) and Zoya host the "Mum and Me" show on Salaam Radio

A mother and daughter are "saying no to bullying" after reflecting on their personal experiences on a new radio show.

Erum Khan and Zoya, nine, have launched the "Mum and Me" weekly show on community station Salaam Radio in Peterborough, to highlight the challenges facing young people.

Zoya said she had been bullied and called "ugly" during her time at school. More recently, she said she was picked on while doing gymnastics for dressing differently to others.

The pair hope through the show they can encourage dialogue around bullying.

The pair host a weekly radio show on Sunday afternoons

Dr Khan, a dentist in the city, described Zoya as a "bright" and "mature" girl and said "young people should be given a platform to express themselves".

"Zoya was being targeted at her previous school. She came home one day with bruises and scrapes, and said she was pushed and told she couldn't play with a group of children," she said.

"She kept asking me 'what is wrong' with her.

"She wears a modest outfit for gymnastics classes but, four months ago, she was picked on for looking different to the others. She didn't want to go back for weeks after that incident. But it could have been worse.

"I should add, both the school and gymnastics club were very supportive and took action promptly."

The pair have received positive feedback on their show and appreciation for encouraging conversations on bullying

As a child, Dr Khan was also bullied for her skin tone and was told she "had fat lips and eyebrows".

"I spoke to Zoya about my experiences and encouraged her to stand up for herself," she said.

"But it took efforts to get there. She loves extracurricular activities, but was put off from attending anything."

Zoya said: "Nobody deserves it [bullying].

"Report it always. Talk to someone about it. And I think parents should also talk to children and tell them it's not good."

Dr Khan said: "Sometimes children don't realise they are bullying someone. We need to have more open conversations about this with our children, and tell them to embrace our differences and respect each other."

Zoya, pictured with her father Mohammed Idrees, said children needed to communicate about bullying

Dr Khan added that she did not have a lot of support when she was growing up.

"Things are much better now and there are rules and guidelines in place to combat bullying.

"Things are getting better, but more needs to be done to encourage dialogue to say no to bullying."