Young Carnarvon horse riders wear blue to promote kindness on Do it for Dolly Day

A group of young Carnarvon horse riders have raised more than $500 for an organisation dedicated to stamping out bullying and keeping youth safe.

The Carnarvon Horse and Pony Club enjoyed horseriding activities, games and a movie night as part of their annual sleepover, which coincided with Do it for Dolly Day on Friday.

An initiative of not-for-profit Dolly’s Dream, the event encourages Australians to wear blue and take a stand against bullying.

Carnarvon local Kara Stalker said the club aimed to provide a safe place for local youth to learn about how they could support their peers.

“This is the first time we have had a big group of juniors come through the club and we’re finding they are at a really influential stage when it comes to bullying and social media,” she said. “We just want to reach out a little bit and make sure they all know that they do have a good support crew around them and we want to keep everyone safe and happy.”

Ms Stalker said the group were “switched on” to the purpose of Dolly’s Dream, which was formed after 14-year-old Amy “Dolly” Everett took her own life in 2018.

“They know the reasons behind Dolly’s Dream and the importance of looking out for each other,” she said. “It’s about creating awareness of bullying and what is and isn’t acceptable and how to reach out if they are being bullied, or in some cases what they should do if they are the bully and they want to change their ways.” Lifeline 13 11 14