Right now, the challenges we face can feel overwhelming. Fear is fuelling division. Inequality is deepening. The rights of women and girls are increasingly under threat across the world.
But that’s not the whole story.
Every day, in big ways and small, people choose kindness. They show up for one another. They give their time, raise their voices, and stand in solidarity with their communities – both locally and globally. These everyday actions might not always make headlines, but together they add up to something powerful.
That’s why we've joined other charities, communities and faith groups across Britain for A Million Acts of Hope – a national invitation to celebrate the compassion already alive across the UK, and to inspire even more of it. Because the more hope we see, the more hope we feel.
What gives you hope?
Last week, we took to the streets of London to find that hope in action.
Standing in Farringdon on a rainy Wednesday – umbrellas up, shoes soaked – we spoke to passers-by about what hope means to them. And despite the grey skies, what we found was anything but gloomy.
People stopped, smiled, and shared.
We asked simple questions:
- What gives you hope?
- The world would be better if…?
- Can you think of an act of kindness you’ve seen recently?
The answers came quickly and often with joy, reflection, or a thoughtful pause. From strangers smiling at one another, to the ambition and curiosity of young people, to small everyday gestures that made someone’s day just a little brighter, kindness was everywhere.
And at the heart of it all was Tim Thomas.
The power of kindness
Now 84, Tim brought a powerful perspective. As one of the first ever recipients of a CARE Package, he knows firsthand what a single act of kindness can mean.
After the Second World War, CARE was founded to meet urgent needs across Europe. People in the United States could send a package — filled with essentials like canned food, powdered milk, coffee, and chocolate — to families they would likely never meet. It was generosity in its simplest, most human form.
Tim remembers receiving one of those packages as a child in Warminster, Wiltshire.
“The kindness of strangers in the post-war era made a huge difference personally to my family and many others. Receiving a CARE package, filled with delicious foods the likes of which I had never seen before, was marvellous. If that whole period has left me with anything, it’s the feeling that a total stranger held out their hand in generosity when we needed help.”
That sense of gratitude – and belief in human connection – was unmistakable as Tim spoke to people on the street. His story resonated. People listened. And in return, they shared their own stories of hope.
Join the million
Sometimes it can feel hard to know where to start when it comes to making a difference. But creating change doesn’t always mean doing something big — it starts with simple, meaningful actions that are within all of our reach.
Here are a few things you can do to be part of a Million Acts of Hope and make an impact for women and girls across the globe – because small actions really do add up:
- Send a CARE Package to support a woman and her family
- Sign up to take part in 100 Miles in June and step up for women and their communities worldwide
- Sign the UK's biggest ever thank you card to remind us all that hope can be louder than hate - A Million Acts of Hope
- Share and champion stories like this one, that inspire others to act
Together, we can turn everyday moments into something bigger — a million acts of hope, and counting.
