A Million Acts of Hope sees charities defend civil society by celebrating acts of hope and kindness
Howard Lake | 13 February 2026 | News
A Million Acts of Hope is a new UK-wide campaign led by a broad coalition of charities, faith groups and community organisations to celebrate and inspire A Million Acts of Hope across Britain.
The initiative invites everyone to take a stand against hate, intolerance and division, and focuses on a week of action in May “to celebrate all those showing hope, compassion and kindness in the face of hate”.
As such charities and community groups, large and small, across the country are highlighting everyday acts of hope and kindness “that truly define Britain, against what can feel like a backdrop of growing pessimism, hostility and division”.
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In short it is a defence of civil society and a reminder of the common values of so many people, and how they benefit society. The actions are those that rarely make the headlines, yet they are “the true story of Britain: practical, caring, and quietly transformational”.
The coalition of charities supporting the campaign include major organisations or networks like NCVO, Save the Children UK, The Wildlife Trusts, Crisis, Amnesty International, Refuge, and The Climate Coalition, but also many smaller, less well-known local faith and community groups in towns, cities and villages.
Week of Action
The Week of Action takes place from 13-20 May 2026.
Moazzam Malik, Chief Executive of Save the Children UK, said:
“In every community across the UK, people are looking out for each other, helping their neighbours, building bridges to counter those sowing division and hate. They are doing this quietly and without fanfare. This spring, we want to shine a light on those fighting to give all our children a better future, and to encourage people up and down our country to undertake more acts of hope.”
Kate Lee, Chief Executive of NCVO, commented:
“Charities and voluntary organisations are the beating heart of our communities, strengthening society every day through their vital work. But that work is increasingly under threat. Polarised public debate and hostile narratives are having a chilling effect on civil society, undermining charities’ ability to operate freely, deepening division and putting more people at risk.“We must ensure civil society is protected. By reaffirming our shared values and creating a space for positive, inclusive action, this campaign can help ensure charities are able to continue to meet the needs of the people and communities that rely on them.”
Get involved
If you’d like to support A Million Acts of Hope, or for your organisation or local group to get involved, please email in**@***************pe.org
- John Nickson’s new book calls for civil society to defend democracy (4 February 2026)
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.