Schoolchildren urged to wear odd socks

Schoolchildren across the area are being encouraged to wear mismatched socks next week as part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness about bullying.

Odd Socks Day takes place on Monday, marking the start of Anti-Bullying Week (10–14 November), and Powys County Council is backing the campaign. Schools across the Welshpool area are expected to join in, using the simple gesture as a way to encourage pupils to discuss kindness, respect, and how to support one another.

This year’s theme, “Power for Good,” asks children and young people to recognise the positive influence they can have on each other and to use it to help stamp out bullying in classrooms, corridors, playgrounds, and online.

Cllr Sandra Davies, Cabinet Member for Future Generations, said every child should feel “safe, respected, and valued,” adding that Anti-Bullying Week is a reminder that “we all have a role to play in creating a culture of kindness”.

Cllr James Gibson-Watt, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said education is also about helping young people become “confident, compassionate individuals,” and that Odd Socks Day is a light-hearted way to open up serious discussions.

To support schools, the Powys Junior Start Well Board has produced assembly and registration resources, including a short presentation on the types of bullying, the importance of kindness, and what to do if you experience or witness bullying. The board is comprised of young people who collaborate with Powys County Council to ensure that children and teenagers have a voice in shaping local services.