Acts of random kindness are sometimes hard to find in a world where we are commonly told not to talk to strangers, potentially sued for trying to help something and the such like. But in early January Huffington Post reported on Great Britain’s Kindest Village and I’m hear to share the story.
Congresbury is a small village in North Somerset with a population of around 3500 and they were set a challenge of performing 800 acts of random kindness to celebrate the village’s church’s 800th anniversary – which is a rather nice way to celebrate.
Each act of kindness was anonymously written down on a card and posted into a box inside the church with the 800 target being reached on Christmas Day, 2015.
Residents of Congresbury varnish a shed – one of 800 random acts of kindness performed by the people in the village.
The acts came in all shapes and sizes as people carried out menial tasks such as painting and helping someone with their shopping to a villager travelling across to Calais to help the refugees there. All of these acts were posted and more as the village got together to help one another and others.
An act of random kindness does not need to be anything huge just notifying someone on a train where they left their suitcase because they forget which end they stored it in is a start. Anything that you do that helps someone out is an act of kindness.
For me I try and start happy at work when walking past customers and colleagues because sometimes just a smile can brighten someone’s day – plus I once had a customer comment on how I was the only member of staff he had seen looking happy and that made my day.
Going on from this wonderful village who performed these acts of kindness why don’t you try and bring a little bit of kindness to the world. Remember you can start small you don’t have to be the saviour of the day and rush into a burning building – yes please don’t that’s why we have firefighters- helping someone pack their shopping can be just as helpful.
The best thing about this is those villagers have been given renewed hope and trust. We can be nicer to each other so let’s start today.
One of the random acts of kindness recorded on a note left in St Andrew’s Church.
Have you done any random acts of kindness recently? Comment below what you have done or even seen, share with the world the wonderful things people are doing.
The Good, The Wonderful and The Totally Awesome 