Interim Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales

Baroness Newlove is a community reform campaigner. She and her family came to prominence after her husband, Garry Newlove was murdered by three youths in 2007, who had been vandalising her car. Following his untimely death, Baroness Newlove set up a number of foundations that aimed to tackle drinking culture in the UK as well as providing support to young people.

Baroness Newlove was awarded a peerage in 2010 and was appointed Deputy Speaker in the House of Lords in March 2018. After serving as Victims’ Commissioner from 2013 to 2019, she was recently reappointed to the same role on an interim basis in October this year. @baronessnewlove

A Champion of Kindness.

A Believer in the Power of Community.

An Eternal Optimist who is always smiling.

A North East Entrepreneur - Michelle owned a successful wedding consultancy and has founded two other businesses.

A Charity Worker & Volunteer - Michelle was recently awarded with a 'Friendship Bench'for her social impact work.

Disability Advocate - Michelle has several chronic illness and invisible disabilities.

An Ambassador for Equity & Inclusion - working with local and national movements and schools

Most importantly, Wife to Steven and Mam to Dylan and Isla.

https://www.kindcurrency.co.uk/

Director, Compassion in Politics

Matt Hawkins has led a number of social and environmental justice campaigns. He was part of the Nobel Peace Prize winning team at the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) which successfully lobbied the UN to introduce a ban on nuclear weapons. Most recently, he managed the Equal Civil Partnerships Campaign which secured the introduction of civil partnerships for mixed-sex couples. https://www.compassioninpolitics.com/

Director, Compassion in Politics

Jennifer Nadel is a qualified barrister, author, political strategist, activist and award-winning television journalist. She has reported for the BBC, Channel Four News and was ITN’s Home Affairs editor. Her report exposing the use of rape as a weapon of war in Bosnia was used by UN war crimes investigators and she’s reported extensively on how the law discriminates against women. Her most recent book, WE, charts how to bring about individual and societal change. Her father came to the UK on the Kindertransport. She is on the board of INQUEST, a charity which supports families whose relatives have died in custody. https://www.compassioninpolitics.com/

Yossi is a London-born spoken word artist, actor & practitioner of performance education. Yossi has been creating from the age of 12 when he began writing lyrics in isolation at school and started performing with other young people at Chickenshed Theatre Company in north London. Yossi’s unique style of poetry has led him to perform at venues like BAFTA, Tate Modern and The British Museum, and to have a series of his poems featured by MTV. Yossi’s poetry questions, explores, and portrays the modern world through the mind of a manic yet mindful millennial. Yossi’s debut EP ‘FOR SOME REASON’ is available on all streaming platforms.

Above all this Yossi takes pride in his educational work with people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. He has produced multi-partnership projects including 2 Arts Council England funded projects: ‘Right to Speak – Engaging marginalised young people in social issues through spoken word’ and ‘Supporting children to express themselves through spoken word’. In the last 5 years Yossi has delivered hundreds of spoken word workshops in partnership with: schools, colleges, universities, organisations, and charities such as: The NHS, Plan UK, Counterpoints Arts, The British Red Cross, Thrive LDN, The Carers Trust and Enfield Council, to name a few.

www.Write2Speak.co.uk

Philip is Global Chief Executive of the international farmed animal welfare environmental organisation, Compassion in World Farming (CIWF). He is visiting Professor at the University of Winchester in the UK, President of the Brussels-based umbrella body of nearly 100 leading animal welfare societies in Europe, Eurogroup for Animals, and is a founding Board member of the World Federation for Animals (WFA), a global membership organisation to represent the animal protection movement at intergovernmental level. 

Philip is also a Leadership Fellow of St George’s House, Windsor Castle and Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. He was appointed UN ambassadorial ‘Champion’ for the 2021 Food Systems Summit in New York and was appointed co-lead of the Summit’s Sustainable Livestock Solutions Cluster. Philip is an animal advocate, naturalist, photographer, and author. He regularly writes and speaks internationally on animal ethics and the global effects of industrial agriculture (factory farming), including its impact on animal welfare, wildlife, soil and natural resources, biodiversity and climate change.

His most recent books include Farmageddon: The True Cost of Cheap Meat (Bloomsbury, 2014), Dead Zone: Where the Wild Things Were (Bloomsbury, 2017), and Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-friendly Future.

Kamilah is a journalist, writer, presenter, musician, mental health advocate and KindFest Host! She currently works for the BBC, producing the news podcast ‘If You Don’t Know’. Having struggled with depression for over a decade, she uses art such as her music, journalism and poetry to express herself, turning pain into power. She also recently became an author, writing the children’s book ‘Windrush Wonders: Tales of Travel and Triumph’, with her childhood best friend. It tells the true stories of three inspiring individuals from the Windrush Generation, with all the profits going to charity. When she isn’t working, you’ll find Kamilah gardening, playing the piano and the violin, or boogying at a festival. This will be her third year volunteering with TeamKindUK!

Benjy is an inclusion and wellbeing consultant. He helps organisations and people across the world meet their diversity, equity and inclusion goals, and create spaces where everyone has the ability to thrive and be their best selves.

As a consultant, speaker and panelist he’s worked with organisations such as HSBC Bank, TikTok, Publicis Groupe, The Trade Desk, among many others. He’s built a community of 230,000+ people on social media, where he produces helpful educational content on topics such as anti-racism, LGBTQIA+ inclusion and self-care. Across social media he has partnered with brands such as LinkedIn, Google and Greenpeace on purpose-led campaigns.

Benjy is the author of “Hope this Helps: How to be Kinder to Yourself and Others” a practical guide to the practice of self-care, empathy and conscious inclusion that was published in February 2023. His overall mission is to equip and empower people to make a positive difference - in their lives, and the lives of others.

PHOTO CREDIT: Billie Charity

Sami is an Award-Winning Spoken Word Artist, Poet, Author, Facilitator and Creative from London, UK who also works in Project Management. Sami has performed and headlined at a number of public and private events and festivals in London, nationally and abroad in Malaysia.

Media features include BBC Radio London, ITV News, NME and S1:E3 of the BAFTA winning Sky Arts commissioned TV show Life & Rhymes to name a few.

Sami uses rhyme as a means of release and therapy and through her spoken word inspires people in her community to speak up and take action. Her poetry touches on everything from identity to relationships to mental health, injustices and day-to-day experiences.

This is Ruby Fuller. Ruby died of T-cell leukaemia in May 2020, aged just 18. She asked family and friends to raise funds in her memory for research into more kinder & more effective blood cancer treatments. She also asked to be remembered by the motto 'Live Kindly Live Loudly'.

Her mum, Emma Jones, will be in conversation with Clare Ruby from TeamKindUK to talk about what kindness meant to her and her legacy via the Fund.

https://www.livekindlyliveloudly.co.uk/ @livekindlyliveloudly

Sandra is Programme Development Lead, The Forgiveness Project

Sandra has over 25 years’ experience of facilitation, and programme management within many diverse contexts, and in particular within theatre and the arts. Sandra is the Programme Manager for The Forgiveness Project’s prison programme, RESTORE and a lead facilitator of this work for over nine years. Sandra is a creative artist working within performance, dance, visual arts, poetry and photography and is passionate about embedding all her practice within RESTORE.

https://www.theforgivenessproject.com/our-purpose/

Award-winning creatives, Giles Paley-Phillips and Sophie Green, have real and raw conversations with experts, creators and thought leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the unquestionable truths behind human nature, psychology, mental health, self-development and relationships. Hear them in conversation with Nyle Beck, Wellbeing Expert at KindFest2023!

Find us here:

X: @unquestionpod

Instagram: @unquestionablepod

Tik Tok: @unquestionablepod

Facebook: @unquestionablepodcast

Youtube: @unquestionablepod

The editor of Radio Times since 2020, Tom is also a director of the BFI and Radio Times Television festival. In 2023 he worked with Sussex and Brighton universities on the Screen Test survey, the UK’s largest study of TV viewers. He is also a trustee of the Sandford St Martin Trust, which promotes excellence in broadcasting about religion and ethics. When he is not doing the day job, he is the founder and editor of RakesProgress, an independently published magazine about the art of gardens, plants and flowers.

The Good Heart is a community initiative dedicated to celebrating, practising and exploring kindness. Based in Frome in Somerset, its activities include a pay-it-forward café, a wide range of classes and activities, and an annual Kindness Festival.

Come to KindFest2023 to see their video created especially for KindFest that looks at:

* What happens when a group of local volunteers come together in the name of kindness?

* What difference can it make, both for individuals and the community?

* What does kindness actually mean, at the grassroots, and where does it lead?

“Kindness is the glue that binds communities together”

Fiona is a Chartered Psychologist, Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, author, podcaster and speaker. She has worked with leaders from across business, healthcare, sport, and the arts for the last 20 years, helping them to achieve optimal performance, wellbeing and helping to improve the quality of their relationships.

She has run her own company for the past 15 years working with leadership at companies including Majestic Wine, Burberry, Lloyds of London, Selfridges, The White Company, Dr Martens, Soho House and United for Global Mental Health.

Her podcast Dot to Dot Behind the Person is listened to in 52 countries and has hosted world leaders in mental health such as Dr. Russ Harris and Professor George to Olympians and leaders from across fields.

She believes that one of the core foundations of all performance and wellbeing is kindness. Without empathy and kindness it’s not possible to be at your very best, or help others to be.

Jodie is the Chief Executive of Khulisa, a youth wellbeing charity that uses a mix of creative arts therapies and neuroscience to support young people to build their social and emotional skills, relationships and educational outcomes. Originally a therapeutic youth worker, who herself was excluded from school, Jodie is passionate about creating an inclusive and nurturing education system where all young people feel accepted, safe and supported to thrive.

https://www.khulisa.co.uk/

Cara is the Director of Impact at Mission 44, a charitable foundation that supports bold organisations, leaders and ideas to reimagine the future and empower young people from underserved communities.

Before Mission 44, Cara was the CEO of Khulisa, a charity providing therapeutic support to thousands of young people and advocating for a more inclusive education system. Cara is from South London and serves as a Chair of Governors for a primary school in Croydon and as a Trustee for The Brilliant Club.

https://mission44.org/

‘Our Dementia Choir’ began as part of a documentary created for BBC1 in 2018. The two-part series saw acclaimed actress Vicky McClure take us on a deeply personal journey where she sets out to discover the true extent of music’s power in combatting dementia. Vicky knows only too well the cruelness of dementia having helped care for her grandma who died in 2015. Vicky also saw the amazing effect the music had in calming her down as well as giving glimpses of the old Nana.

Vicky formed a choir of people all living with dementia in her hometown of Nottingham to see whether music can make a measurable difference in their lives in 2018… The result: Our Dementia Choir.

https://www.ourdementiachoir.com/

Professor Robin Banerjee is a professor of developmental psychology and the inaugural Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global and Civic Engagement at the University of Sussex. Formerly Head of the School of Psychology, his research focuses on the social and emotional development of young people, and he works closely with practitioners and policymakers in the areas of education and mental health. He founded the Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness, an interdisciplinary research centre focused on illuminating the nature of kindness and its impacts on people and communities.

Professor Banerjee recently led The Kindness Test, a partnership with the BBC that became the world’s largest ever public science project on kindness, as well as The Screen Test, a partnership with the Radio Times that marked their centenary by exploring the power of television and radio in people's lives

Claudia Hammond is the author of The Keys to Kindness, which won the People's Book Prize Special Achievement Award in 2023, and the bestselling, The Art of Rest, as well as three other books on psychology. Claudia is the presenter of several podcasts and radio shows including All in the Mind on BBC Radio 4 and the weekly show Health Check on BBC World Service.

She is Visiting Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Sussex. In her work she shares the ways that psychological and medical research can help us in our everyday lives, whether through radio, TV, podcasts, public events or books.

Michaela started her charity work at the age of 8! She shares her experiences at Make-A-Wish International where she has spent the last 5 years granting life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses working as a Junior Corporate Alliances Manager at Make-A-Wish International, helping global brands experience the joy of wish granting and creating impactful partnerships that support the mission of Make-A-Wish. Her goal is to continue learning and growing as a fundraiser and a wish granter, and to make a positive difference to others.

@MakeAWishIntl

www.worldwish.org

https://www.linkedin.com/company/make-a-wish-international

https://www.facebook.com/MakeAWishIntl

https://twitter.com/MakeAWishIntl

https://www.youtube.com/user/MakeAWishIntl

Nick will deliver an empowering talk on ‘The Revolution Of Kindness’ at Kindfest2023.

Nick is a multi-award-winning TV presenter and popular culture commentator and philanthropist. He is founder of the award-winning East Of Eden PR, Style For Stroke Foundation, The Fashion Run and imPODster Syndrome Podcast and new podcast Jesus to Jenner out in September 2023.

www.nickedetv.com

Donna is a Joyologist on a mission to infuse the world with boundless joy and happiness. She's the creative force behind Joyology®, an easy-to-access life methodology that connects people to the magic of playfulness, joy and wonderment, with transformative results.

Donna is a highly sought-after speaker, presenter, and coach, known for her work in the wellbeing space and mould-breaking delivery. Donna's methods have universal appeal and pack a life-changing punch, empowering people to look at their world differently, ignite their inner brilliance and set them on a journey towards joy and fulfilment.

Kathryn is a trainee counsellor, applied social psychologist, and now Associate Fellow at the University of Essex in the UK. She is passionate about making a positive difference to individuals and society, and has consistently found through her research and personal experiences, that kindness is a powerful way to do this.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-buchanan-phd-3747126b/

Anila is a multi award-winning Presenter and Journalist who has worked for some of the biggest media companies over her ten year career. She is UK Ambassador of charities Barnardo's and Binti International.

Anila is so pleased to be part of KindFest 2023 to help spread kindness! www.aniladhami.com

Bernadette Russell, author, storyteller, hopepunk, tree planter. Co-director of White Rabbit

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree" Martin Luther

Alumna of the School of Myth. Certified Happiness Facilitator with Museum of Happiness .

Author of ( for adults) "How to be Hopeful" , "The Little Book of Kindness", and "The Little Book of Wonder" and (for children) , "Do Nice Be Kind Spread Happy" and "Be The Change, Make It Happen".

Join the White Rabbit mailing list for occasional updates on shows, courses, writing, etc.

https://www.thewhiterabbit.org.uk/contact

Mary Nightingale is a journalist and television presenter, best known for presenting ITV’s evening news for over 2 decades.

In what has been an astonishing career, Mary has covered everything from ‘Ski Sunday’ to the Rugby World Cup, general elections to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

She’s also been the recipient of The Television and Radio Industries Club or TRIC Award for ‘Newscaster of the Year’ not once, but twice.

Sarah is the founder of the Time for Kindness programme, a grassroots movement that is all about noticing the kindness around us and sharing it. She has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over 20 years, helping organisations with a vision of a better world to communicate effectively with their audiences. She set up the programme to use her story-telling skills to celebrate kindness, through social media, being a speaker at events and running workshops.

The Time for Kindness programme is not about denying the bad things that go on in the world, but it is about saying that’s not the only story. Sharing stories of the kindness we see around us changes the narrative we have about the world and about ourselves within it.

Sarah believes that there is a lot of kindness around us, we just don’t talk about it enough – yet! She’s on a mission to change that. https://timeforkindness.co.uk/

Zara is a multi award winning broadcaster, recently named as one of Britain’s up-and-coming women! She advocates for women’s rights & mental health. Hear her talk about what ‘Investing in Kindness’ means to her at KindFest2023!

SUKKI is a writer-director and humanitarian, best known for the Netflix Original docuseries ‘Singapore Social,’ for campaigning for freedom of expression within the performing arts in Singapore, and for the award-nominated short film, ‘I See Her,’ which has been Officially Selected for festivals including BAFTA and BIFA qualifying festival, The British Urban Film Festival. The film seeks to sensitively educate the public on taking action when they see signs of abuse in women and girls.

A renowned campaigner on women's rights, SUKKI is the Global Ambassador of UK based charity The Sharan Project, The Women of the Future international programme and has been defined by her thought-provoking interviews on the BBC and CNBC International. She is a passionate advocate for inclusive representation of women, especially women of colour, in film and television.

www.instagram.com/SukkiMenon

Neil is the founder of Mercury Jam Coaching, offering programs that focus on well-being and productivity in the workplace.

He believes that people work for people; that good business is achieved by leveraging human values - kindness, gratitude, momentum and resilience.

https://www.mercuryjam.com/

Polly is Founder, CEO of The Sharan Project.

Polly has been supporting South Asian women for over 20 years. In 2008 she identified a gap in service provision for women who have been or are at risk of being disowned and who require long term support towards leading a successful independent life without fear, as a result she set up The Sharan Project: A specialist by and for national charity that supports South Asian women affected by abuse or persecution.

www.sharan.org.uk