Cyberplan to beat bullies

A group of boys aged 11-14 from Walton-le-Dale Arts College are poised to take a performance piece they created with choreographers and filmmakers on a tour of schools across Lancashire.

The group – which the boys have named DYNAMITE – unveiled their piece at yesterday’s Lancashire Schools Dance Festival at Preston Guild Hall.

They will now embark on an an educational tour of primary and secondary schools in Preston and Lancaster, in which they will use dance as a medium to inform pupils about eSafety.

The tour, which will visit two primary schools and three secondary schools, is the culmination of a 13-week project in which the boys have worked with Sarah Hall from Ludus Dance and filmmaker, Jon Randall.

The piece comprises a choreographed dance routine and short a film of their journey.

The project was funded by ‘Awards for All’, which is part of the Big Lottery Fund.

In recent years, the suicides of at least two young people under 16 in Lancashire have been linked to cyber-bullying.

These tragic events have highlighted for many people the need to educate and raise young people’s awareness of how they can protect themselves and report abusive behaviour.

This after-school project has been led by the boys themselves, said a spokesman for the group.

Sarah Hall said: “This has been an incredible opportunity for the boys to learn, collaborate and create something we all hope will be helpful and enlightening for many other young people.

The performance piece they have developed is stunning and the result of much hard work on their part. They should all feel very proud.”