I was delighted when I saw the news that the team at Chawson Barn Community Hall are planning a party for Lilly-Jo Caldcott, the young girl who attempted to take her own life after being bullied at school.

The amount of support shown for her by businesses and individuals across the county has been inspiring to see.

Though the story of Lilly-Jo is a sad reminder that there are those who seek to make the lives of others a misery, the number of people in support of Lilly-Jo should teach us all that there are far more kind, decent and honest people out there and that the bullies will never win.

I wish Lilly-Jo a truly happy birthday and hope the party is a success in every way.

This story should inspire us all to root out and deal with the problem of bullying in schools, which ruins the lives and education of too many young people.

It is far too easy to say that bullying has always been around and is a part of school life in Britain.

That argument is a cop-out and will lead to more and more cases like Lilly-Jo’s if left unaddressed.

If I could offer one piece of encouragement so anyone suffering from being bullied at school it would be this:

It does not last forever, when you leave school you will get the chance to leave those people behind.

And if you are being bullied, do not hesitate to tell your parents, teachers or close friends.

It does not make you weak to ask for help, and by asking for help you will not be alone.

This world is awful enough without having to make it worse for each other.

Shouldn't we be trying to make each other's lives better? If more people at all levels of society, politics and culture had that attitude, the world would be a much friendlier, much more loving place.

And if you are someone who deliberately makes other people's lives harder? you should just ask yourself how you got to such a sorry state to feel the need to harm others.

The story of Lilly-Jo is heartbreaking, and is not unique.

Bullying sadly still exists at all levels of our society: In schools, offices, all across our world, and we need to do more to root it out.