Bernadette Russell is an expert on hope and kindness, as well as a writer, performer and activist who plants a lot of trees - and helps others do the same. She is author of The Little Book of Kindness and The Little Book of Wonder, both published by Orion and in multiple foreign editions around the world. Since 2012, she has toured the US and UK speaking about the importance and life-changing experience of practicing kindness, including for BBC Radio 4 Saturday Live, Action for Happiness, Birmingham School of Philosophy, People United's Kindness Symposium, The Roundhouse, Tate Britain, Turner Contemporary, Sunday Assembly and the Southbank Centre, where she was nominated as one of sixty-seven change makers for her project 366 Days of Kindness. Since 2018 she has worked with the Royal Albert Hall, producing performances with kindness and creativity at their heart.
'Hope is the alchemy that turns a life around, and Bernadette’s Russell’s delightful and informative book gives us the toolkit to ignite hope in each of us.' - Julia Samuel, author of Grief Works and This Too Shall Pass 'The perfect book for troubling times. The ideas and exercises in How To Be Hopeful will soothe your soul.' - Katherine May, author of Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times 'Everyone needs to read this book.' - Dr Mark Williamson, director of ACTION FOR HAPPINESS 'Bernadette reminds us of our values and ideals and that each of us has power to affect change.' - Vera Chok, co-author of The Good Immigrant 'Exactly what is needed right now. Hope AND action.' - Stella Duffy O.B.E, author and co-founder of Fun Palaces campaign for cultural democracy