Retired Couple Turns Home Into School For Bullied Children, Many Who Were Suicidal

Simone Grice was a school girl who, at the tender age of 15, allegedly committed suicide because of extreme bullying she faced at school and elsewhere, according to the Daily Mail. She leapt to her death from a bridge over a main road after being bullied by people at school and around her family home. Little did she know that people did care. In fact, a retired couple opened up their home to other bullied students after being inspired by Grice’s story.

Fred Morgan, 94, and his wife Vivian, 72, opened their home to about 20 students, some who have been bullied so badly by cruel bullies that they attempted suicide. The generous couple noted that even if they make a difference in one child’s life, their efforts are worth it. Vivian Morgan said the following, according to Metro.

“One day we read a horrifying story in the paper about a girl who had killed herself because she was being bullied at school. It was absolutely dreadful and really upset us. We thought even if we could help make a difference for just one child then it would be worth it.”

The couple transformed their large home into a school, converting some bedrooms into classrooms. But they wanted to retain the hominess, so students can enjoy break-time while sitting by a cozy fireplace. The home was previously used as a hotel.

The head teacher, Jill Cornfield, has a staff of 22, most of whom are part-time. But the school is in demand, with other students who want to learn there. The students are between 11 and 17-years-old and learn many practical classes, including reading, math, and science. Students can also learn a foreign language and how to play the piano if desired. The school follows the national curriculum and is subject to Ofsted inspections, according to The Telegraph.

And they have helped students who have been severely traumatized by bullies. Vivian Morgan stated the following to demonstrate how tormented some of their students have been when they arrived at their safe haven.

“We had one 15-year-old girl who had bald patches where the bullies had pulled her hair out. I’ve seen texts sent to pupils telling them to kill themselves. It’s horrific. When they first come, they can’t do a full week. Some of them sit and don’t speak, and it takes some longer than the others. But once they realize they’re safe, they’ll start to do a few things–usually cooking or looking after the animals.”

Most students remain for about a year at Northleigh House, then move on. One family is even moving nearby so that their child can attend the school. Some students have moved on to college afterwards and, most importantly, have a sense of self-worth again that was lost because of cruel bullies. And they move onto happy, productive lives they might otherwise have lost. Vivian Morgan said the following according to The Telegraph.

“When they leave here, they’re like normal happy, laughing teenagers, and they’ve caught up on their work. We had one young girl who had tried to throw herself under a bus. She’s really happy and at college in Leicester now. To think that she may have died is terrible.”

The school receives some funding from the local council, but that does not cover everything. The Morgans have also set up a GoFundMe account to raise more money to continue the school. The link can be found here. And they have a website which can be found here.

Bullying is, of course, wrong and can take an extreme toll on its victims. In an Inquisitr article, a woman who had a beard decided to accept her appearance and embrace her inner and outer beauty, despite bullies.

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