Hello, thanks so much for visiting!

Do you believe that kindness can change the world? (or do you hope it might?)

Is the news getting you down? Do you want to make the world a better place, or even just cheer yourself up a bit? Would you like to join us, and defend hope, be on the side of love and compassion? Do you like cakes? (cakes often come into it) Would you like to have fun whilst being changing the world? You’ve come to the right place….

my kindness mission…

(To find out about other work I do please click here.)

Since 18th August 2011 I have been trying out acts of kindness. The first year I commited to being kind to strangers, since then, the ideas and actions have grown and expanded. At the bottom of this page is a little about how it began, but…

if you’d like to read the diary of everything I did that first year, you can go here

Lots has grown out of this project, including books, shows, a documentary and several installations, and I have tried to include all of the outcomes in this website.

The Books

I’m very pleased and proud to announce that on 7th September 2017 my new book for adults “The Little Book of Kindness” published by Orion will be out, and you can buy it here or here! It’s packed full of practical ideas and suggestions of ways of being kind. I hope that you buy and join us in changing the world, one act of kindness at a time!

My childrens activity books, published by Quarto, are available too. The first is “Do Nice Be Kind Spread Happy” and is available here, and the second “Be The Change Make It Happen” is available here.

The books have had some lovely reviews:

“An absolutely brilliant book that brings cheer to the world…” Cece Jones, Guardian

“Intensely creative ideas..this book doesn’t purport to ease world hunger or solve political crises, but what it does do is work at the coalface of our future–our children … and their hearts.” Tania Mccartney, Kids’ Books Reviews

and are featured in the Guardian here

I sincerely believe we need kindness now more than ever, and that kindness has the power to change the world.

I’m currently writing a monthly column for Balance magazine about kindness, you can read it here.

I deliver talks (suitable for anywhere) and performances (suitable for theatre spaces) about kindness, happiness and positive activism in U.K and U.S, for children and for adults. Please contact me if you’d like to find out more by emailing bernadette@thewhiterabbit.org.uk

Bernadette xx

A brief look at how it all began…

On the 18th August 2011, after a chance encounter in a Post Office, and in response to the 2011 Riots, I decided to do something kind for a stranger every day. I did this with no forward planning or desire to turn it into a “project”, I just wanted to see what would happen if I tried it.

I recorded what I did on Facebook and twitter (@betterussell) and in my blog. At the end of the year I was invited to Woolfson and Tay gallery in Bermondsey where I exhibited photos and text from the year. On the last day of the year I “handed over” to my friend Sharon Calcutt who embarked on a year of her own (since then Sharon has “handed over” to Jenni Morris)

After the year was up, I realised that it was the best thing I had ever done, and I’d better just carry on! So I still do it every day (although I don’t post it every day as that got a bit…well… you know…)

Various things have happened as a result of this project:

On Valentine’s Day, with Alex Duggins from Time Out, my mates Chris Entwisle, Asif Iqbal and The Broken Biscuit Society, I travelled around London giving out V Day cards to total strangers.

you can see more pics here

Interview (and impromptu music lesson) with on BBC Radio Saturday Live with the Milkman of Human Kindness Billy Bragg.

you can listen to the interview here:

PRX Radio documentary The Kindness of Strangers made about the year, broadcast world wide, with Kirsty McQuire

you can listen to the documentary here:

An interactive installation with Deptford X and South Bank Centre called Dear Stranger.

You can see pictures here:

And another with Age Concern and the Southbank Centre called Coats Tales.

You can see the pictures of that here

A theatre show, also called 366 Days of Kindness, created with the support of Birmingham Rep, Jacksons Lane, Stans Cafe, Arts Council England and Arts Admin, written with Gareth Brierley. Directed by Tessa Walker, sound Fred Defaye, video Rob Kennedy, print design Sadie Cook. The show toured nationally and internationally, you can find out more about it here

Plus, the books, mentioned above, of which I am very proud.

Please contact me directly with any enquires about the project bernadette@thewhiterabbit.org.uk