Miranda McKearney is the founder of EmpathyLab, which harnesses the power of stories to build empathy skills and understanding. She previously founded The Reading Agency, and in 2014 thought she was retiring to go trekking. But she was fascinated by the neuroscience research showing that reading can build real-life empathy, and with four fellow EmpathyLab founders has been exploring the practical implications.EmpathyLab has now developed three main programmes: an annual Read For Empathy collection; a national Empathy Day in early June; Empathy Explorers, a whole-school, year-round empathy schools programme. More details at www.empathylab.uk; @EmpathyLabUK @MirandaMcK Miranda has a background in marketing and developing literature-based programmes, the best known being the Summer Reading Challenge in libraries. Before founding The Reading Agency, she had many happy years promoting the Carnegie Medal and helped found the shadowing scheme. She is a ferocious reader and walker, and a trustee of the Jane Austen House.