Hey guys! Here are pics from the campaign that Aston supports called “Beat Bullying”. It’s so sad that many adolescents have to deal with it 
Hopefully things could change 
WITH his legions of fans, boyish good looks and amazing voice, most lads wouldn’t mind being ASTON MERRYGOLD.
But life hasn’t always been so good for the JLS star.
The singer has revealed how he was tormented by racist bullies when he was a teenager.
Aston, now 21, was sickeningly branded a “Paki” and “Osama Bin Laden” by football team-mates.
Now he wants to use his fame to try to help kids in the same horrible position after agreeing to be an ambassador for the charity Beatbullying.
He says: “When I was 13 I joined a local football squad as I had dreams of playing for my team, Arsenal.
“I was always the shortest in my side or class at school and there were some comments made, calling me ‘shorty’ or taking the mick.
“But I was also the only black kid in the team and the comments started to reach another level.
“I’m mixed race as my mum is Irish and my dad is Jamaican. But I used to get called ‘Osama Bin Laden’ or ‘Paki’ which I just couldn’t understand as it didn’t make any sense.
“It was just ignorant but I decided they were never going to break me.”
Desperate to deflect the bullies’ attention, Aston would muck about to make the other players laugh.
The X Factor runner-up says: “I’d always been the class joker. I tried to put on a bit of a performance, cracking jokes or clowning around.
Hurtful
“But when I got home it was a relief to be able to drop the performance and be myself.
“When I was on my own and got to thinking about what had happened, it was very hurtful.
“It was hard to find the courage to speak up and tell my mum. When she found out she told the team’s manager. He made the lads who had made the comments apologise.
“I stayed in the team as I didn’t want to run away. Now I’m trying to get somewhere with my future — and where are those guys at?”
For Aston, the word “Paki” — a term which sparked outrage when BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing star ANTON DU BEKE used it to describe his partner LAILA ROUASS after a spray tan — is ALWAYS offensive.
Aston says: “I don’t know anything about the Strictly row, but it’s not a word I would use and for me it’s a racist word. If you use that kind of language you should realise people don’t want to hear it.”
Instant fame and fortune has transformed Aston’s life — but the after-effects haven’t all been positive.
His family, who live in Peterborough, Cambs, have borne the brunt of negative comments from locals jealous of the success of JLS.
Aston says: “You can’t please everyone. It’s fantastic for my mum and everyone but it’s not always going to be 100 per cent sunshine. It comes with the package.
“My family and friends are really proud of me and the band, but there will always be people who make comments or want to be negative.
“My little sister Courtney, who is 15, has been getting some hassle because of who I am and what I do. She has dealt with it all really well — she’s my inspiration.
“But the experience made me think about helping prevent bullying.”
Sitting in the music room of a south London high school last week Aston was in his element, chatting with the pupils and helping them to produce a song about beating bullies.
The excitable girls from the group, all aged 12 or 13, were dumbstruck when he walked into the room.
Aston’s visit had to be top secret as teachers feared pandemonium if more than the select 15 Year 8 students realised he was in the building.
Afterwards the pupils were keen to share what they had learned and the anti-bullying message they wanted to get across.
Carmen, 12, said: “If you are getting bullied you should tell an adult. And if you see someone being bullied then get an adult. Don’t step in or you could get hurt, or something more serious like getting stabbed.” Friends Aaliyah, Jasmine and Nashae, all 12, were excited to see Aston.
Nashae said: “It’s important to get famous people involved to talk about bullying as then you realise it can happen to anyone.”
Aston is aware of his responsibility to the youngsters who propelled JLS to the top of the charts with their debut single Beat Again.
He says: “The band have loads of younger fans. I get a lot of letters handed to me saying that I made someone’s year because I posed for a picture with them or I made a difference to their life because I gave them a hug.
“I realise that fans look up to me and I wanted to do something positive for them.”
The huge fame JLS have achieved in under a year is still sinking in for Aston.
He says: “The success that the band have had is a dream come true. I still can’t believe we won two MOBOs last month. That whole evening is a blur.”
The lads have been snapped in clubs across London, partying with beautiful women.
But, although Aston is single, he’s choosy when it comes to finding a girlfriend.
He says: “It’s ten times harder for me to get a girlfriend nowadays. I want a girl who is genuine and I try to be really careful about who I meet while I’m out. It’s hard now to see a nice girl and ask her out without her knowing who I am.
“As for my ideal woman, I’ve always fancied CHERYL COLE. I loved it last year on The X Factor. I’d be sitting next to her, texting my mates about where I was.
“I’m a 21-year-old fella and I like to go out and have fun with the guys, but it’s important to remember kids do look up to you.”
And his mum Siobhan, 41, is always ready to step in if she feels his ego is running away.
He admitted: “My mum keeps my feet on the ground. When her and Marvin’s mum see us in the paper, out partying, they ring us up to give us a good telling off.”
Source: The Sun