UK Kindness Movement


UK Kindness Movement is a non-monetary, independent organisation that promotes kindness campaigns, initiatives, and resources. It also serves as a think tank on kindness research.

History

It was founded in 2005 by Louise Burfitt-Dons as an associate campaign of children’s charity Act Against Bullying to promote their Cool to be Kind campaign and initiate other pro-social projects and initiatives. Since then it has designed and produced media campaigns across a range of sectors emphasising the importance of ethical behaviour in modern life.

Kindness Day UK

The UK Kindness Movement co-founded Kindness Day UK . It was originally celebrated on 13 November, the date decreed for World Kindness Day. but the date for the UK National Day of Kindness has been moved to 31 March. Kindness Day has received a great amount of support from celebrities, enterprise, politicians and religious leaders. Supporters include Dame Barbara Stocking DBE, Chief Executive of Oxfam, The Rt HON Sir John Major KG CH, Russell Brand, Holly Willoughby and Sir Stuart Rose, Chairman of Marks and Spencer, The Rt Hon David Blunkett, Gary Lineker, Sir Alex Ferguson, Vanessa Feltz, Camilla Dallerup, Peter Snow, Jo Brand, Billy Murray, Patsy Kensit, Alan Titchmarsh, Brian Blessed, Jilly Cooper, Noel Edmonds, Charles Kennedy MP, Arlene Phillips, and Ruby Wax

Research

The UK Kindness Movement has been researching the link between kindness and civility. The benefits of kindness are being welcomed since the global economic crisis and findings that more altruistic methods of doing business can be rewarding . Acts of kindness are linked to increased serotonin in the recipient of the kindness and the one being kind In April 2012 the UKKM published the Good Returns Report, which was the first comprehensive study of the fiscal cost of decreasing kindness on the economy.

Campaigns

There are many nationwide campaigns to promote kindness. Transport for London have been collecting stories from people on London Tubes and they are exhibited on trains and in stations

Conferences and events

On 25 April 2009 the UKKM inspired , created for the award-winning documentary series Battlefront and Channel 4 led by Tom Robbins. The event took place at the Chelsea College of Art boosting The Kindness Offensive as its headline act.
On 10 November 2011 the UK Kindness Movement organised a public conference with the Big Society Network at Somerset House to debate the level of kindness in the City. This followed from concern that the London Riots indicated a decline of kindness and civility in modern Britain. A Young Foundation report suggested changes in national and local policy to counteract the drop in moral standards, including a better balance between punitive responses and actions that actively encourage civility.

UK Kindness organisations

Other UK organisations, which promote acts of kindness include The Kindness Offensive and Kindness UK.