Mayor calls on Dubliners to “be kind” in new campaign

Dublin People 06 Feb 2024

The Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste has launched a new campaign that calls on Dubliners to be kind to each other.

The campaign, ‘Always Brighter Stories’, celebrates people doing kind, inclusive work in their communities across Dublin.

From volunteer groups to disability activists, social enterprises, charities and more, the Lord Mayor is spotlighting these stories to thank all Dubliners who make a positive impact in our city and county.

“When I was elected First Citizen, I said one of the key themes for my year in office would be kindness,” said the Lord Mayor. “So I’m using this new campaign to call on everyone, including myself, to be more kind to family, friends, neighbours and even strangers.”

“We all know people in our community who selflessly give up their time to help others, never asking for anything in return. I want to recognize those people and encourage as many others as I can to follow their example. I believe it’s especially important, given what happened in our city last November, that we look out for each other more in 2024.”

Presented across digital platforms and out-of-home advertising throughout February, the campaign features a number of videos of individuals and groups. They include:

Charlie Bird: The renowned journalist and broadcaster will launch the campaign, speaking about his experiences of kindness. Charlie continues to extend the hand of friendship to as many people as possible as he lives with his terminal illness.
Sanctuary Runners: A solidarity-through-sport initiative which uses running, jogging and walking to bring together asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and Irish residents across the country, promoting social inclusion and integration.
James Casserly of Jimbo’s Accessible Adventures: Disability activist James travels the country to see how accessible transport, hospitality and services really are, calling for improvements where necessary and raising awareness.
Forget Me Nots Choir: Based in Baldoyle, this community choir was set up by Órla Horn to support dementia sufferers and their families, friends and caregivers. The group brings a therapeutic musical group experience to those affected by the disease.
Mick Cardiff of St John’s Ambulance Ballyfermot: Mick has been a member of St John’s Ambulance for 49 years and tells us about his work installing defibrillators and providing first aid training to as many people in Ballyfermot as possible.
Sinead Ryan of Little Fitness: Little Fitness is a social enterprise, founded on teaching fitness classes in an educational way for children and young families experiencing homelessness. Sinead’s work combats barriers to exercise experienced by those living in emergency accommodation and family hubs.
Bull Island Action Group: For the last 20 years, the volunteer-led Bull Island Action Group has met monthly to clean the sand dunes, beach and biosphere. Their work supports conservation efforts and improves the local environment.