UK Kindness Movement is a non-monetary, independent organisation promoting kindness campaigns, initiatives and resources. It also serves as a think tank on kindness research and is a representative of the World Kindness Movement in the UK.
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It was formed in 2005 as an associate campaign of children’s charity Act Against Bullying to promote their kindness activities and initiate other pro-social projects.[1] Since then it has designed and produced media campaigns across a range of sectors emphasising the importance of ethical behaviour in modern life.
The UK Kindness Movement set up a national kindness day in affiliation with the World Kindness Movement known as Kindness Day UK [2]. It is celebrated on November 13, the date decreed for World Kindness Day.[3]
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 [4]. Acts of kindness are linked to increased serotonin in the recipient of the kindness and the one being kind [5]
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 [6]
April 25, 2009 the UKKM inspired Kindival created for the award-winning documentary series Battlefront and Channel 4 led by Tom Robbins which took place at the Chelsea College of Art.
On November 10, 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 were indicative of a decline of kindness and civility in modern Britain. A report by the Young Foundation suggested changes in national and local policy to counteract the drop in moral standards including a better balance between punitive measures and those which actively encourage civility.[7]
The UK has many groups and organisations which have been set up to promote acts of kindness.