Rowan Atkinson and British stars celebrate everyday kindness ahead of World Kindness Day
By Charities Correspondent
From helping a neighbour to offering support to a stranger, small acts of kindness happen every day.
Now, Rowan Atkinson and a host of familiar British faces are helping to celebrate the people who make them happen.
The actor has joined Joely Richardson, Mimî M. Khayisa and Mia McKenna-Bruce in a new film for the British Red Cross, released ahead of World Kindness Day on 13 November.
Featuring the actors alongside charity staff and volunteers, the film tells the stories of ordinary people who step in to help others, often at difficult moments in their lives.
It comes as new research from the charity found that three in five UK adults (60%) had shown kindness to a stranger in the previous three months.
A further 75% said it was important to feel connected to people who want to make a positive difference to others.
Atkinson, a British Red Cross supporter, said: “Humanity isn't only found in the extraordinary. It's there in the everyday choices we make to help one another.”
He hopes the film will encourage people to recognise the difference they can make, even when the world feels uncertain.
Joely Richardson also spoke about the importance of human connection, drawing on her experiences meeting people supported by the British Red Cross.
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In Belfast, she heard from Hannah, who was left homeless after flooding caused by Storm Bert. She also met Ukrainian women in Romania who had found strength in supporting one another after being forced to leave their homes because of conflict.
Richardson said both experiences had stayed with her, showing how much it means to know someone is there for you during difficult times.
WATCH FILM:
British Red Cross film stars Rowan Atkinson, Joely Richardson, Mimî M. Khayisa & Mia McKenna-Bruce - supplied British Red Cross
The film was shot by British filmmaker and photographer Henry Jay Kamara, known for his portraits of public figures including Lewis Hamilton and Stormzy.
British Red Cross chief executive Béatrice Butsana-Sita said she hoped the film would encourage people to notice the kindness already happening around them.
She said: “The neighbour who checks in, the stranger who helps someone they don't know, the volunteer who gives their time” were all examples of humanity in action.
As World Kindness Day approaches, the charity is asking people to play their part, whether that's checking in on a neighbour, giving their time to volunteer, donating to support people in crisis or learning first aid.
The message behind the film is a simple one: kindness doesn't have to be a grand gesture. Often, it's just about noticing when someone needs a hand and taking the time to help.
