Summing up his excellent series on Victorian Do-Gooders, Ian Hislop commented that “their achievements have been underrated, their absurdities accentuated” but posed the question “Are we ready for the tide to turn?”

In researching my book, I came across many other stories of fascinating do-gooders, who had each worked tirelessly to make a difference to the lives of those less-fortunate. One or two were familiar names but most remain just footnotes in history, seen as not relevant in today’s world. Lady Henry Somerset and her fellow temperance campaigners fell into this category.

I hope this programme will make people more aware of their stories. I hope it will also make people think what they themselves could do, even if only in a small way, to make life better for others.