About fires, famine and political anxiety within the US, former president Barack Obama has delivered a New Year’s message, reminding people what he believes is best about America and urging them to “keep changing the world in 2018”.

In a tweet thread, Mr Obama said he was in a reflective mood and preparing to look ahead. Without mentioning the man who has replaced him in the White House, he then added: “For all the bad news that seemed to dominate our collective consciousness, there are countless stories from this year that remind us what’s best about America.”

He then linked to a series of stories in which people had overcome the odds or else acted to put others first.

Among the people he referred to was Kat Creech, a wedding planner in Houston, who “turned a postponed wedding into a volunteer opportunity for Hurricane Harvey victims”. “Thirty wedding guests became an organisation of hundreds of volunteers. That’s a story from 2017,” he wrote.

He then focussed on Chris Long, an American Football player who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles and who has been donating his entire salary for the year to charitable causes.

Barack Obama says we must set example with social media use, in Prince Harry interview

Those causes include providing clean water in a third-world country, the welfare of military veterans and enhancing educational opportunities in the US. The children he is trying to help live in and around the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, where he played college football and which was rocked by neo-Nazi-led violence this summer that resulted in the death of a young female anti-fascist activist.

Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Show all 11 1 /11 Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama's best moments in the White House May 19, 2009 “The President was leaving the State Floor after an event and found Sasha in the elevator ready to head upstairs to the private residence. He decided to ride upstairs with her before returning to the Oval Office,” Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Oct. 26, 2012 President Barack Obama pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he greets the son of a White House staffer in the Outer Oval Office Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House “A National Security staffer, Carlton Philadelphia, brought his family to the Oval Office for a farewell photo with President Obama. Carlton’s son, Jacob, softly told the President he had just gotten a haircut like President Obama, and asked if he could feel the President’s head to see if it felt the same as his.” Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House March 21, 2010 The President, Vice President and senior staff applaud after watching on television the House vote on H.R. 4872 for health care reform, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Dec. 3, 2009 President Barack Obama fist-bumps custodian Lawrence Lipscomb in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building following the opening session of the White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Sept. 22, 2015 "The Obama family and Biden family greet Pope Francis as he arrives in the United States for the first time at Joint Base Andrews," Sept. 22, 2015. Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Feb. 21, 2014 President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden participate in a "Let's Move!" video taping on the Colonnade of the White House, Feb. 21, 2014 Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Feb. 18, 2016 President Barack Obama watches First Lady Michelle Obama dance with 106-Year-Old Virginia McLaurin in the Blue Room of the White House prior to a reception celebrating African American History Month, Feb. 18, 2016 Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Jan. 21, 2013 "The President and First Lady wave to supporters as they ride in the inaugural parade. I had asked the President if I could ride in the presidential limousine and the President joked, 'But Michelle and I were planning to make out," Jan. 21, 2013. Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama share a private moment in a freight elevator at an Inaugural Ball, January 2009 all pics: Pete Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama rests his hand on the bible that President Lincoln used for his swear-in, being held by his wife Michelle Obama as he is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America Rex

“Chris Long gave his paycheques from the first six games of the NFL season to fund scholarships in Charlottesville, VA. He wanted to do more, so he decided to give away an entire season’s salary,” wrote Mr Obama. “That’s a story from 2017.”

He also highlighted the work of 10-year-old Jahkil Jackson who is trying to help homeless people in Chicago. “He created kits full of socks, toiletries, and food for those in need. Just this week, Jahkil reached his goal to give away 5,000 “blessing bags”. That’s a story from 2017,” he said.

Mr Obama recorded an interview with Prince Harry which was recently broadcast by the BBC and in which the 56-year-old former president urged everyone in leadership roles to prevent the corrosion of public discourse.