An introduction to Kinder Leeds

Liz Hartley, a new member to the power team, shares her reasons for joining the team and her experiences of being part of Kinder Leeds.

“Remember there is no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”

I joined the Kinder Leeds team at the start of 2021 – when I felt like kindness was particularly important, to give to myself and to others in a very unpredictable time. Joining the power team has been a great experience for me, both personally and professionally. Starting a career in marketing, this role has provided me with experience doing something I am passionate about whilst also being able to contribute to an important cause. Being able to work within social media and spread a positive message of kindness and compassion is something I am so proud to be a part of. 

Kinder Leeds is an organisation aiming to promote kindness, compassion and wellbeing within the city of Leeds, and building a kinder community. There are many aspects and themes within the organisation which I connect with – a passion for sustainability, kindness to self and of course to others. I also love the city of Leeds, it’s been my home for most of my life and I believe this already amazing city can be a great place for this kindness revolution, which will, one day, take over the world. 

Within such a short space of time I feel like I have connected with so many amazing people working on projects around Leeds that I had no idea about. Leeds is a big city, and I can guarantee that there are projects going on just round the corner from you that you had no idea about. We want to connect people together so these projects can grow in strength and numbers to spread kindness and compassion. My role has been within marketing and communications, you will probably see my work mostly through social media. Following the success of the last festival I believe there is lots of room for growth and I can’t wait to see what Kinder Leeds can become. 

The Festival of Kindness, Compassion and Wellbeing isn’t happening until October 2021, but we want to inspire kindness and compassion in all aspects of life, however big or small there is always space for a little more kindness. I am hoping through the use of technology we can create a kinder community ahead of the festival this year, by using this space to inspire and inform everyone about events and organisations in Leeds who are working on wonderful projects. 

We welcome connection and want to get as many individuals and organisations as we can to be involved. I believe that we can start with small actions to encourage kindness in our daily lives. We even have recordings of last year’s events for anyone looking for inspiration, so don’t hesitate to get involved and start your own ripple of kindness.