Mirfield woman's 874-mile UK road trip to spread a little happiness

Kelly, of Mirfield, runs a kindness campaign called Spread a Little Sunshine where she encourages people to be kind.

A former postwoman, Kelly’s adventures started in 2017 when she completed 26 marathons in 26 days to help raise £60,000 for a friend in Argentina with chronic lyme disease.

It wasn’t your average "random act of kindness" but Kelly caught the happiness bug and wanted to share it.

As well as going into schools to talk about kindness, Kelly has now launched the Happy Bench Project where friends – or strangers – can stop by for a chat.

On August 1 Kelly embarked on a 21-day tour of the UK, going from John O’Groats to Land’s End in her unmissable yellow VW camper van with the slogans "Spread Love" and "Spread Hope" on the sides and "Spread a Little Sunshine" on the back.

Kelly said: “Friends and family know I come up with these crazy ideas, like buying a yellow van and going to John O’Groats!”

Kelly is pitching up in parks up and down the country and hopes people will join her for a chat, a cuppa and a slice of cake.

“Chat benches aren’t a new idea but now, more than ever, encouraging people to talk to one other has never been more important,” said Kelly.

“I am combining everything I do on this road trip going around the UK, stopping in various places, putting up ‘happy bench’ posters and leaving acts of kindness.

“I reach people online through social media but what I really want to try and do now is engage with people locally.

“At 10 o’clock I get out my camping cooker and portable happy bench and some more chairs and I buy some cake and we invite people to come over.

“Some people will have heard about us through social media others will just be in the park and think: ‘Oh that looks nice, what are you doing?'

"It’s just a wonderful way to spread some happiness, spread some sunshine and spread some kindness.”