A CHARITY worker who was picked on as a child because of her race is setting up an anti-bullying campaign for schools.

Teba Diatta, 32, grew up in the Leeman Road area of York, and says that her own experience at both primary and secondary schools has prompted her to start a campaign going into city schools to speak out against bullying.

She said: “Growing up, me and my brother were the only black kids in the school and I was very aware that I was different. I started developing the skin condition psoriasis when I was seven and the name- calling intensified.

“I went to a really good primary school and I don’t want to blame them because, at that age you don’t want to tell your parents or teachers, you just want to blend in.

“When I went to secondary school I suffered racism and it does damage you emotionally.”

Miss Diatta started her charity Running For Life, which provides children in Senegal with educational facilities and helped set up a library in the town of Oussouye.

She said: “I set up my charity and I want to show young people that they shouldn’t let anyone get them down or stop them from going on to achieve what they want.”

As part of her work with the charity she has previously given talks at The Mount School, Manor CE Academy, St Barnabas CE primary and Millthorpe School.

She said: “I have spoken about bullying as part of talks before and if any schools want to contact me they can message me on Twitter @teba_d or contact me on the charity’s Facebook page – Running For Life.”