Luton mums and daughters create support group to help bullying victims

Family friends Kirsty Hardiman, 34, and daughter Layla, 15, along with Peri Lynn, 40, and daughter Olivia, 15, have launched a new Facebook page called ‘BE KIND’, a private and confidential support group for victims and their families.

The ladies don’t want any-one to go through bullying alone, and hope that families or individuals will reach out to them if they need advice, or just a friendly voice to talk to.

Kirsty said: “Layla started getting bullied when she was in primary school around 11 years old, and the pupils that were bullying her went to the same high school.

“There were physical attacks at school and she was bullied online; social media is a massive issue.

“Why do people bully? I think it’s down to the individual and there is usually a reason for it. It could be someone dealing with their own insecurities or someone who is being bullied themselves. They usually do it to make themselves feel better. Their victim can be anyone; they very rarely bring it upon themselves.”

Luckily, Layla felt confident enough to speak to her mum about the torment she was facing - the bullies even egged their house - but Kirsty told this newspaper that unfortunately the school and the police were “no help”.

However, support came in the form of friendship, as when Kirsty spoke to her old school friend Peri, they discovered that their daughters were both going through the same experience.

Layla, who has bonded with Olivia and become her good friend, said: “When I used to hold it in, something would just kick it off and everything would explode. Talking about it helps instead of bottling it up.”

Olivia added: “Make sure you speak up and seek help, no matter what. It’s best to speak to someone and ask for help than keep it to yourself where it can eat away at you and make you feel very sad.”

The girls are now both home-schooled and wish to raise awareness about the damage that bullying can cause.

Kirsty and Peri will be running the Facebook group and are encouraging teenagers and adults to reach out - even if it’s about incidents that happened a long time ago.

Residents can talk on the group page or to Kirsty and Peri via private messages.

Once the pandemic is over the ladies are aiming to hold a support group, and hope to present talks in schools about bullying.

To get in touch, search: ‘BE KIND .... a private and confidential support group’ on Facebook.