13:00, 21 February 2021
Words by Smiley Team, Staff Writer, London
Well done. You got through the week and, contrary to what the mainstream news suggests, there was much to celebrate. We’ve scoured through the headlines to find the best positive-impact stories for you to end the week on a high. From individuals carrying out small acts of kindness to global organisations transforming the world for good, here are the stories to get you feeling inspired.
Independent film making company Sequence 13 has launched an inspiring film about a wild swimmer, Gilly McArthur. Throughout the winter months, she took a daily dip to raise money for homeless charity Crisis. Thirty per cent of the profits Sequence 13 receives from the streaming of the film via the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival will go to the fundraiser of the 28 swimmers across the north of the UK who are raising money for homeless people. Watch the documentary here.
From wild swimmers, we turn to wild cranes, who have made a come back in the UK 400 years after being wiped out by hunters. Since 1979, conservation organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust have been working to translocate cranes from breeding sites in Germany to the UK. Their return signals that genetic diversity is strong among the 200-or-so new arrivals, ensuring they remain healthy and resistant to diseases.
In other good news for the environment, 20 new companies have joined The Climate Pledge. Created by climate campaign group Global Optimism in partnership with Amazon, the pledge compels companies to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2040, 10 years prior to the Paris Agreement’s goal. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said: “We’re seeing incredible momentum behind the pledge with 53 companies from 18 industries across 12 countries already joining. Together, we can use our collective scale to help decarbonize the economy and preserve Earth for future generations.”
Also serving future generations, Birmingham-based charity All Saints Youth Project welcomed a thoughtful initiative from Michelin star chef Brad Carter this week. Teaming up with his friend, artisan knife maker Benjamin Edmonds, Carter commissioned a handmade chef’s knife from which 10 per cent of the profits will go to supporting the young beneficiaries of the charity. The collaboration was facilitated by Smiley™, the brand licensing company that sponsors Smiley Movement.
Youngsters weren’t the only age group to get a support boost this week. Elderly people and children alike are benefitting from Silver Stories, a charitable project that bridges the generation divide, pairing young readers with elderly listeners to keep each other company over the phone. Founded by a caring couple, Elisabeth and David Carney-Haworth OBE, the charity received a generous donation of close to £10,000 from Smiley™.
