Acts of kindness

Sally_A

wendall wrote: »

I work in a school with teenagers and last year a colleague and i started a group called positive people for some students who were struggling with low self esteem and bereavement and minor disabilities. We gave them each week the random act of kindness diary off the website and asked them to bring it back with as many days as possible filled in with random acts of kindness, they soon filled those days up with many different acts on there from making a cup of tea for parents, tidying up at home, shopping for elderly neighbours and gardening jobs, to opening doors for others, smiling at people, talking to other students who were on their own it really has made a difference to the students and they love the fact that they are doing some kindness for others and in doing so hope to change the mindset of some that teenagers only think of themselves. It soon got round what the group was doing and now we have other students come to get a diary and they fill the diaries in too, we just need to keep it going every little helps.

I think that is brilliant, it gives the youngsters that thought the whole world was grab,grab, grab, can get satisfaction from doing something that is so minimal in time and effort to them, but makes a whole world of difference to the receivers :T:T:T

Trajal

Quite taken aback, and touched very much by the response this thread has had.

Thank you all so much for sharing your stories, both those who have helped and those who have been recipients of the help. I suppose my old school motto of 'go and do thou likewise' springs to mind. When we're all just fairly decent to one another, this starts to swim around society and everyone eventually benefits.

Can't really single anyone out, such lovely responses from so very many, please keep them coming. Each new good story feels to me like you are laying another brick in the wall around hopelessness. Delighted and humbled that I have had a small part in getting some of these stories to light.

Thank you all again.

Kaz2904

Immoralangel's post has reminded me of my own teddy bear issue! Just over 2 years ago we went up north to visit DS's god father who had just got back from Iraq. The children went to the park and lost DS's teddy bear Owen. My friend and I combed the area looking for Owen and were unsuccessful in finding him. In desperation, after I got back home, I popped on here and started a thread on the armed forces board https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1577887 voila! I was touched by the kindness of strangers over something as daft as a grubby old teddy bear . DS was beaming when he got his bear back eventually!
I try often to do little RAK's just to brighten up someone's day. It is lovely to hear of so many on here

emma0802_2

this thread is amazing. so many lovely acts of kindness that have made me cry very happy tears. i felt the need to post

me and my husband had just set up a little shop in our town and we were struggling to say the least. i was about 5 months pregnant at the time and we couldnt get the heating to work in the shop. its was absolutley freezing outside and seemed just as cold inside that shop. i rang my husband and was telling him how cold i was and was saying i think i needed to shut the shop and this guy walks up and said "please dont shut, ill be back in 10 mins"
with that he left. you know what that wonderfull man came back 10-15 mins later with a plug in heater and a cup of tea. i could of kissed him. i said omg thankyou and offered to pay and he wouldnt take a penny. he turned out to be one of our best customers. i will never forget what he did for me that day. a genuine nice man. i was so gratefull.

not everyone is so kind these days. i remember being pregnant and on the way home from london. i must of been almost 8 months. my feet were killing me and i was just desprate to sit down. we happened to get on the train at what must of been thier peak time as it was packed. not one person would give up thier seat for me and i ended up sitting on the floor but ive got to admit that the random acts of kindness from others more than outweighs that incicdent. the amount of times people have just opened a door or let me go in traffic really makes my day. those tiny little gestures can really make a diffrence. i very often go above and beyond now.

Nicksmum

Several years ago I received a phone call at home with someone saying that my purse had fallen out of my pocket whilst I was riding my motorbike.I didnt even know I had lost it and apparently the man who found it had traced me through the phone book via the details on my driving licence (I dont carry it with me anymore).He brought it round to my house and I tried to give him some money for his trouble but he wouldnt take a penny. I was so grateful as I had my rent money in the purse and it would have been hard to have replaced it.This is something that has always stayed with me and twice I have found things and handed them in, neither time have I had anyone thank me though.:cool:

stitchintime

I love this thread and whenever I hear of such lovely acts of altruism, it reminds me of the time I really needed help and someone came to my rescue.

5 years ago, I was on holiday with a friend in New York. It was our last day and I had decided to use up the dollars in my purse on souvenirs and presents to take home. When I got back to the hotel to pack I realised my debit card was no longer in my purse and my credit card was maxed out (as always in those days...) My card had either been lost or stolen but either way, I had no cash to get me to the airport or to even buy a bottle of water to tide me over till we got on the plane hours later...my friend told me she had no money to lend me and there was nothing she could do (it had been a really difficult holiday due to her attitude and this was the final straw...it still makes me angry to think of it) and I couldn't arrange a money transfer as my family was uncontactable at work. I had money in my account but no way to access it.

I went into the nearest bank I could find which happened to be a Washington Mutual (I think) - now gone under I believe- and asked if there was any sort of arrangement they could make with my bank just to let me access 10 or 20 dollars to get me home. There wasn't. I was in a bit of a state by this point, seeing no way to get to the airport and being half way across the world with no friend looking out for me...I thanked the guy in the bank who had tried to be helpful and look for a solution to no avail before I trudged to the front door area of the bank and quietly sobbed to myself.

The guy saw how distressed I was and came up to me again, checked again how much I needed and told me to wait a moment. I thought he would be able to pull some strings and get a transfer with my bank organised. Instead I saw him take his own bank card to the cash machine, withdraw 20 dollars and hand it over to me. He wouldn't even let me take his details so I could repay him, merely saying I could buy him a beer next time I was in New York. I was in such a state I am not even 100% certain I would find where the branch was even if it still had been there but I would like to thank that man, wherever he is, for what he did - it has stayed with me and I hope he has had many acts of kindness shown towards him.

cabsy83

I try and put others first all the time. I used to be a very selfish person but after having suffered depression and raising 2 kids by myself I realised what the value of true human kindness is. If it never comes back around then so be it, but I don't do it for a reward!
My sister in law had a baby 7 months ago and had some money problems so I saved up and used my boots points and got her kitted out for her new baby.
A few years ago a good friend of mine had no money to buy her son christmas presents so I bought him some things on credit for her and she only just paid me back, but it was worth it to see her sons face with his new thomas the tank bike!
Also on a coach journey a girl had a seizure and no one was doing anything to help her so I handed some random old lady my then 5 month old son and my 2 year old daughter and managed to shout for the driver to stop, call an ambulance and keep the girl safe and well whilst everyone else looked on. I'm epileptic and I would like to think that if that happened to me then I'd get some help!

becks92

This is a lovely thread and one of the biggest acts of kindness is everyone who gives their advice and helps people on this board - for example Gleeful found my wedding dress for me!!

Anywho, I like to think of myself as a decent kind of person and always hold doors open, try and offer my seat and generally help people. But throughout my life I've always been very lucky with the people Ive met.

One instance sticks out and it was when I was travelling in northern Ireland years ago and was on my way home but wanted to see the Giants Causeway first. It was a sunday and raining and I took the train but had to change to get to Port Rush. While waiting for the other train, I got talking to an irish chap who apparently worked there and offered me a cup of tea which I gratefully received. We chatted and he asked if I was enjoying this soft weather and how he hoped his wife had got the washing done

It came over the tannoy that my train would be leaving so I picked up my bags but he said I could leave them in the station masters office which I did (how trusting am I !!). I then bade him my thanks and got on the train, waited, waited and nothing so got my book out. After about 5 mins my friend who gave me the tea popped his head round laughed at me and said the train wouldn't go anywhere as he was the driver!! he then askd if I wanted to travel in the cab which I did so with broom handle keeping the engine room door shut we made our way to Port Rush!

When we got there this lovely chap who had pointed out his house on the way said to make sure we got back on time as the time for the buses from the causeway and the trains were tight. So thanking him for everything I made my quick visit in the rain to the causeway. Literally a ..oh there it is and then ran back to the bus. As the bus pulled up to the station a chap ran up asked me name and then ushered me along - they were holding the train!! the driver had asked them to make sure I was on the train!

Sorry it was so long but thought it was an absolutely lovely story that has stuck with me all these years.

There have been lots of instances of kindness I have come across - as mentioned I am very very lucky and do try and pass it on where ever I can.

I once ran out of fuel a few years ago and typically had forgotten my phone, it was on a dark country road but I knew I had passed a road so I walked back and knocked on doors till I found someone, explained my predicament they let me use the phone and while I was doing that the chap ran off and came back with a fuel container - he had a petrol lawn mower!! so he came with me, put what he had in my car (1995 Mini Cooper) and sent me off to the petrol station. The next day I put a fiver in a thank you card and posted it through his door Always pass it forward

secretshopper75

MSE_Martin wrote: »

Hi Oregon

We can't have such sentiments in this thread. So if you PM me your name, sort code and bank account details. On behalf of MSE I'll put £100 in the account as a sort of inverse "post of the day".

That way we can prove good things sometimes happen for no reason.

Martin

PS this is genuine - I will delete your account details as soon as the money has been sent (shouldn't normally send them by PM - so delete them from your send box too for security).

PPS should just say this is a one off - sorry we can't do this for everyone. I just wanted to do something nice after being moved by this thread.

Martin, what a lovely gesture, you've restored my faith in human nature...if I win the lottery I'd love to do this for so many on here who've been so kind and helpful.

sophieschoice

Many years ago, just after my Mum was evacuated from the Channel Isles when the Germans invaded, her and her aunties and uncles (huge family so she was the same age as some of her Mum's nieces and nephews) were late for school. The teacher sent them all to the Headmistress who asked why they didn't set their alarm clock. They explained that they didn't have an alarm clock as they'd left the CI in literally what they'd had on and what they'd been able to gather together in the hour they had been given before evacuation. The Headmistress sent them back to class with instructions to report to her at playtime.
When they arrived back at her office, she had put on a breakfast spread for them and, as they left, presented them with an alarm clock.
It doesn't sound much now but in wartime Britain, where evacuees weren't always treated with kindness, it must have been a wonderful gesture.