Nadiya knows speaking out is the only way to beat the bullies

School bullies have, sadly, always been part and parcel of growing up. The evidence was all around you, from the quiet boy who sat alone at lunchtime every day to the new girl who joined your class mid-term to escape her tormentors.

It’s still a huge problem, with a quarter of children aged between seven and 15 experiencing bullying. And now social media is making it possible to abuse victims 24/7.

This week’s cover star Nadiya Hussain suffered horrific racist bullying at primary school which left her with crippling anxiety. Now a hugely successful TV chef, she is encouraging victims to speak up, and she got me thinking about my own experiences.

I managed to get through school without becoming a target but I wasn’t so lucky in adulthood. There was the former boss who introduced a new colleague to everyone apart from me – “You don’t need to know who she is” – and the male business partners who marginalised me until I had to walk away from a venture I had founded.

The overriding feeling was shame and embarrassment. I’m a professional, independent woman

– how could this happen?

So I put on a brave face and muddled through until, as tends to happen, the bullies were eventually fired or I removed myself from the situation. Bullies rely on our silence so they can continue their abuse.

In our interview on pages 6&7, Nadiya tells us: “We have this stoic, stiff upper lip where we say keep calm and carry on, but I’m raising my children to talk about their worries.”

I think that’s very good advice – for adults and young people alike.