Show a little love: 5 ways to get
involved this World Kindness Day

1. Donate to a food bank

Making ends meet can be difficult at any time, let alone in the midst of a pandemic, so what better way to show some kindness than to help those most in need feed themselves and their loved ones.

One way to do this is to make a box of all the non-perishable items your local food bank needs: such as cereal, soup, pasta, tinned meat and veg, and long-life milk and juice.

If you make a box, why not write a supportive message inside it? Adding some kind words will add a special touch to a much-needed donation.

2. Check–in on a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while

Mental health has taken a big hit this year, and many people are feeling more isolated than ever. So stop putting off talking to your friends, pick up the phone and see how they are.

If phone convos aren’t your bag, buy your friend a coffee and go for a walk together. Just knowing a friend misses you can make a big difference in someone’s mental wellbeing: you’ll make their day, and also improve your own!

3. Go litter picking

World Kindness Day does not just include kindness to others, but also kindness to the world around you.

Litter picking is a great outdoor activity you can do with others: why not set a challenge within your bubble and see how much rubbish you can pick up within an hour as part of your lockdown exercise blast?

Picking up one bin bag full of litter in your local area, whether it’s a park or a beach, will ensure the wildlife around you are safer and happier.

Studies also show that the less litter there is in an area, the less likely people will be to litter there at all, so this kind act will benefit the community for years to come.

4. Help out vulnerable neighbours

Even though shielding is not required this time around if you’re not in a local lockdown, some elderly or at-risk people may be too scared to go to the shops.

Why not pop a note through your neighbours’ doors to check on them, and see if they would like you to pick up anything for them on your weekly shop?

Even if they do not need anything, just knowing they have a caring neighbour nearby will provide comfort to many.

5. Send some food to NHS staff

This was a common act of kindness at the height of the pandemic, but NHS staff are still working hard so deserve some TLC!

If you can, why not send some pizzas or doughnuts to a local hospital department with a note saying thank you?

Often doctors and nurses don’t have time to go and get food to eat, so giving them a treat between shifts will provide a much-needed boost, and show them that we still appreciate everything they do.

See what we got up to!