Thatcham Town Harriers Football Club is aware of the paramount importance of having an anti-bullying policy to which coaching staff, club volunteers, players and parents must adhere to. The three main types of bullying are recognised as:
- Physical, e.g. hitting, kicking, theft
- Verbal, e.g. racist or homophobic remarks, threats, name calling
- Emotional, e.g. isolating an individual from activities

Bullying behaviour may also include sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing, tormenting, ridiculing, humiliation, racial taunts, graffiti, gestures, unwanted physical contact or abusive or offensive comments of a sexual nature.

Our Club Rules

- Players must play within the laws of the game
- Bullying is unacceptable anti-social behaviour and will not be tolerated at any time
- Bullying should be reported to the Coach, Club Welfare officer or other club representative
- All bullying allegations will be taken seriously, dealt with as quickly as possible, and higher authority will be contacted if necessary

Our Coaches

We expect our coaches to recognise the achievement of all players, regardless of ability, for which either attending training sessions or achieving a place in the team is something they can look back on with pride. They all understand that winning is good, but having a good time is just as important. Teams that lose games might be unlucky but they are not 'losers', there is always another match, another season.

Witnessing Bullying

Thatcham Town Harriers is a "telling club". This means that bystanders play an important part. If the victim appears afraid to say anything, the bystanders must understand it is their duty to inform the club about what is going on. Nearly all bullying is witnessed by other people. When a complaint about bullying is made The Club will take it seriously - both the victim and the alleged bully will be spoken to as part of resolving the matter. If further action is required both sets of parents will be involved.

Am I being bullied?

If you're a young sports player and you're feeling upset at the way you're being treated by your team mates or adults involved in the game then there are things you can do about that. Not everyone can be on the team so don't be upset if you're not always chosen, it doesn't mean that you're being bullied. If team mates make fun of you on the pitch or in the changing room, or try to upset you so that you don't want to take part in training sessions, that is bullying.

What action can I take?

Talk to your parents or guardian and ask them to contact your Coach, Club Welfare Office or other club representative. Try keeping a diary of dates and incidents and getting friends to support you in what is happening. If the problem isn't resolved, your parents should request a copy of the club complaints procedure in order to progress further. Thatcham Town Harriers is also a listening club.