Acts of kindness

Broomstick

Lovely stories.

Over 35 years ago a friend of mine was in real trouble financially and an anonymous person gave him an envelope containing the modern equivalent of about £500 with the instruction that, when he was able to find the money again - no time limit - he should pass it on to someone else in real need with the same instructions. A few years later the firm he worked for was on strike and one of his colleagues who had a young family was very hard hit so my friend passed on the money and instructions to him. Knowing the colleague concerned I'm sure he would have passed the money on when he could and I'd like to think that somewhere out there that cash is still moving on and helping people in real need. It was an amazing thing for the first donor to have started.

Another thing that really stayed with me from years ago was a little thing I did for someone else. I was changing trains at Reading station and a middle aged woman was struggling with her luggage at the top of the stairs (there were no escalators or lifts to be seen). She didn't look that frail or elderly but I offered to carry the luggage for her and she looked terribly relieved and accepted very gratefully. As we were walking she explained that she'd just had a pacemaker fitted and she couldn't have managed without my help. That incident taught me lots about making assumptions: people don't always show that they need help and sometimes younger, healthier-looking people can be in real trouble too.

B x

rich11

Heres one that actually paid off for me.1991 skint bedsit land 22 years old no job no prospects.A lot of us on here have been there.Sign on day arrives and I head off for the 3 mile walk into town.Just on the edge of the town centre some 2 miles in to the walk a flash convertable sports car pulls up next to my.A short smart looking bloke asked me where the local football stadium was.I told him but,because of the one way system it was quite complicated.Sod it I thought I told him I'd jump in and direct him

Started chatting to the guy and he asked where I was going.Told him it was sign on day but I always set off in plenty of time as I had nothing else to do

We arrived at the ground and I said goodbye but he stopped me from going and told me to wait.He disappeared into the stadium and returned 2 minutes later with an envelope.Shook my hand and wished me well.Started heading off back in to town and opened the envelope.5 crisp £50 notes!!!

It kind of dawned on me that he must have been a player(I know nothing about football)Next day I looked at the back page of the local paper and low and behold Uniteds new £2 million signing had given me a lot of money

That money went on a deosit for a self contained flat.No more sharing a bathroom with 6 other people

mrshughes86

regret70 wrote: »

Isn't it funny how all these stories seem to be several years ago. it seems people have forgotten how to be kind!.

my husband recently found a blackberry phone on the floor when he was driving home (not sure how he spotted it in the dark!) but he drove back to pick it up. when he bought it home we saw there were loads of photos on it of children so we tried to ring the 'home' number and someone answered. my husband offered to deliver it to their house (about 4 miles away) it was 11pm at night and not in a very nice area.

we literally put the phone down and got in the car when the phone rang, I answered it was the girl telling us to hurry up! she said she want her phone that minute as she was about to leave and we would need to take it to a different address (10 miles away) my husband said we would only drop it at the first address.

when we got there she came out the house and snatched it off him no thankyou or anything. bloomin rude.

a few years ago i found another phone at a festival, I managed to ring their mom and get the address to return it, i posted it to them it cost me about a fiver in postage but I never received any thanks.

I just hope maybe someone would return the favour if i lost my phone but i doubt it!

I had a similar experience to this a few weeks ago, I saw an expensive phone on the pavement outside a house as I was walking my dog, and it was raining so I stopped and picked it up.
I thought it probably belonged to someone in the house it was nearest too, so knocked on the door.
A man answered and said "What d'ya want - I don't live 'ere" I said I'd found a phone outside and he said "OH that's mine! Are my keys there as well? (had a look behind me) no?" then shut the door!
No thank you, nothing. I almost wish I'd left it there in the rain.

On another note though, I am always amazed by how truly grateful people are who I give things to on freecycle. No matter how small or low value they are, people are so nice when they collect things. I've even received a thank you card from someone I gave some curtains to!

mrshughes86

Just remembered something a bit nicer than my previous post!

I had some elderly neighbours who we hadn't really ever spoken to apart from the occasional 'Hello', but one day I saw them standing outside their front door when I came home from work and said hello, and the man said "Word of advice - don't lock yourself out your house".

I thought that was an odd thing to say :-/ then realised THEY had locked themselves out!
They said their son was on his way, but lived some distance away, so I told them not to worry, as my husband had just done a locksmith course and I was sure we could get them back in.

Unfortunately when my husband arrived he couldnt open the door, because they had left their key in the lock inside the house. I didnt give up though, and managed to fashion a hook from some coat hangers and reach in through their letterbox and pull the keys out the look from the inside.

They were sooo grateful, and the next day came round with wine and chocolates!

They always looked out for us after that, and often took in parcels when I was at work and watched the house when we went on holiday.

fudgecat

We`ve always tried to help others through the years and it can be hard asking for help when you have been used to giving it, so when 2 clients went bankrupt on us - forcing us to go bankrupt in turn - we didn`t ask for help.
Things were really bad and our house was being repossessed. Two acts of kindness stand out from that time. One was a lady I knew, Mary, from the school PTA. She always seemed rather formidable, but she found out that we were eaking out food (social services told us that we were entitled to no benefits - money, housing, nothing (two children 9 and 4) as husband was self employed). The next day there was a large box of groceries on the door step. I cried.
Another act of kindness was a University lecturer, Pam Bowell, who found me crying and stressed out on the campus and brought me into her office for a cup of coffee and a chat. Her encouragement helped me to complete the BEd I was doing, which transformed my prospects and earning potential.
Finally my school head, who learning that my husband was looking for work, put in a word for him to apply for school caretaker, and he got the job (on merit I hasten to say!).
Its nice to be in a position to help others again.
Old habits die hard from those lean days, so we still put a handful of lentils into most meals to stretch them and only buy clothes and furniture second hand! Still, now we can help the kids and grandchild - and others.

bobble_hat

One very hot day this summer, I was walking through town and the Big Issue seller was sitting on the Sunny side of the street with no shade. I bought the Big Issue, giving extra, then went into the newsagents and bought her a large bottle of water. I haven't seen her since so I really hope she didn't get ill.

VfM4meplse

More heartwarming tales can be found here

Oregon

Such a lovely thread to warm the heart.

Wish I could ccontribute but at the moment all I can think about is the (many) times all of my friends have taken advantage of me and stolen from me

Maybe one day

jellybean39

:TI can remember when i was a single mom when i was 17 (along time a go now lol) my daughter was a year old. We were really skint and living in a dingy flat. Her dad had left me and i really didnt have a penny to rub together.
I took her for a walk one day and on the way back we walked through town only to find a handbag. Instead of going to the police station which was well out of town i checked through to see if there was a number. I looked through the bag and there was income support books and pension books that hadnt been cashed and hundreds in cash.
There was that split second when i thought omg what i could buy my daughter and fill my fridge. But the guilt feeling for even thinking it was hurrendous. How could i teach my daughter right from wrong? I phoned directory enquiries which was free in them days lol and got the ladys number. I asked her if she had lost anything and she said no i said u sure? with that you could hear the panic set in she realised her bag was missing.
It turns out it was a secong handbag and it was the one she kept all her sons stuff in so it was seperate from hers. He was severly disabled and it was ll his money and books. I said dont panic i have a free bus pass i will be ther within the hour and will bring it for you. She was so pleased and she asked me how old i was and i told her she thought my babes in the pram was my sister!!!
When she realised i was so young with a baby she said to me i cant believe you have returned thi you could have cashed all of those in the book near 1k in there.
She said im sorry i cant give you much as i dont work i look after my son. I told her i didnt do it for money but i lost my purse with £12 in few weeks before and all i got back was the purse, it was found miles awat from where id been near the local college. But i was £20 better off as a reward and felt great. the chat i had with the lady was worth it in itself. My ex told me i was stupid i realised a few years later after we got back together the he would rob his grandma hence the fact i got myself together and left him,

jellybean39

Oregon wrote: »

Such a lovely thread to warm the heart.

Wish I could ccontribute but at the moment all I can think about is the (many) times all of my friends have taken advantage of me and stolen from me

Maybe one day

Unfortunately been on that end many times in the last year as well.:cool: