Act Against Bullying facts for kids

Act Against Bullying (AAB) is a charity in the United Kingdom. It was started in 2003 by Louise Burfitt-Dons. The charity helps children who are being bullied. They offer private advice and work to make more people aware of bullying. The AAB website gives helpful messages and information about all kinds of bullying. This includes bullying where someone is left out (called exclusion bullying) and bullying that happens online (called cyberbullying).

The charity is run by volunteers. This means people give their time for free to help others.

AAB has helped many children and their parents. Before, these families often felt alone when dealing with bullying. The charity wants to be positive and encouraging. It teaches that being kind is the opposite of bullying.

How AAB Started

In 2000, a writer named Louise Burfitt-Dons wrote 40 short plays about bullying. These plays were for teachers to use in classrooms. She wrote them because her own daughter had been bullied at school. Louise was worried that just telling kids to report bullying might make things worse. Her plays showed how new types of bullying could be sneaky. They also gave ideas on what kids could do.

The volunteer group Act Against Bullying officially formed in 2002. They started giving out leaflets with advice. These leaflets talked about "exclusion bullying," which is when someone is purposely left out. The group helps young people who might bully others without realizing the long-term harm they cause. They also gave tips for teenagers who were victims. The group began to raise money and became a registered charity in October 2003.

From 2005 to 2007, the Act Against Bullying Polo Cup was held. This event was part of a big polo tournament at the Guards Polo Club. Louise Burfitt-Dons gave the Cup to the winning teams.

In November 2006, the charity started a poster campaign called "Grade Not Degrade."

Louise Burfitt-Dons spoke at a House of Commons meeting in June 2007. This meeting was about cyberbullying.

AAB was chosen as a finalist for The Guardian Charity Award in 2008.

The "Cyberkind" campaign was launched in 2009 at the House of Lords. This was done by important people like Baroness Hayman and Lord Grocott.

Until 2010, AAB was a main member of the UK's Anti-Bullying Alliance.

What AAB Does

Wristband

AAB has a special wristband with two colors. Red stands for strength, and white stands for peace.

Cool to be Kind Campaign

The "Cool to be Kind" campaign is one of the charity's main efforts. It started in 2001 with school talks about bullying. Its main message was: 'Don't be Rude, Don't Exclude, Don't Push In, Don't Hurt To Win, It's Cool to be Kind'.

Since 2005, this campaign has been part of Anti-Bullying Week in November. Schools can get materials from the AAB website to join in. These include notices for school assemblies and posters. They also offer AAB kindness certificates to reward students who show anti-bullying behavior.

CyberKind

Cyberbullying can happen when someone bullies others online without showing who they are. The "CyberKind" campaign encourages and rewards "niceness on the net." This helps to stop cyberbullying from being seen as okay.

Act Against Bullying Polo Cup

This Cup was given out each year from 2005 to 2007. It was awarded to the winner of the charity's polo tournament. This event helped raise money and awareness.

Public Education

Louise Burfitt-Dons gives talks to help people understand bullying better. She shares information about how bullying numbers are rising. She also talks about the different forms of bullying. She explains how bullying affects young people and trends like "happy slapping."

Grade Not Degrade Campaign

This campaign asked TV channels and OFCOM (the UK's media regulator) to show less aggression in TV shows. The group believed that too much aggression in media could lead to copycat bullying and violence in schools. They also used posters to spread their message.

AAB in the Public Eye

Act Against Bullying is often seen in the media. This has sometimes caused discussion because of its high-profile events. The charity has had important volunteer advisors. These include Hamish Brown MBE, an expert on a law about harassment. Many famous people have supported their fundraising events. These include singer Hayley Westenra and athlete Duaine Ladejo.

Julian Bennett gave a donation to AAB in 2006.

Other media personalities have also been linked with AAB. These include Jen Hunter and Big Brother contestant Liza Jeynes. AAB has many young followers. Joseph McManners was photographed for them at an event with model Nicholas Joyce. They also worked with the martial arts duo Strike, who were finalists on Britain's Got Talent in 2008.

In 2008, a fashion show called Fashion Showcase Wales supported the charity. It was held in Cardiff. AAB campaign posters and messages were also featured in The Inbetweeners Movie.