Sunday Telegraph
5 February 2006

A NATIONAL campaign to stop schoolyard bullies starts this week with the support of a host of young celebrities who will encourage children to talk about their experiences.

The National Ban Bullying Campaign has enlisted Home And Away actors Rhys Wakefield and Indiana Evans, as well as US celebrity twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

Organised by the National Coalition Against Bullying, the campaign comes on the back of a study that found one in two children felt threatened at school.

The campaign will also raise funds for The Alannah and Madeline foundation, which aims to eliminate violence against children.

“This campaign will help our young people to develop and understand key values and social skills, which will help reduce bullying in our community,” said charity CEO Dr Judith Slocombe.

Wakefield said it was important to eradicate the threat of bullying before it became endemic in adult life.

“The concept of bullying is greater than the concept of schoolyard bullying, given that the schoolyard is a microcosm of the greater world,” he said.

The campaign will feature in Girlfriend magazine, Channel 7′s Sunrise program and on Nova FM.