Ginny’s Community Corner

by Ginny Gibson of Uttoxeter

June 30th 2021, Issue 104

Random Acts of Kindness

Kindness, an eight-letter word that the dictionary defines as “the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate”, Mark Twain (writer) said that “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see”. Garry Lineker was quoted as saying “Every act of kindness is potent and lingers long in the heart of the recipient”.

In November 2020, a group of people in Uttoxeter and surrounding areas, created a Facebook page called “Random acts of kindness”, their definition is, “Kindness is magic” facebook.com/groups/703704783905506/, which combines all of the definitions above very nicely, I think.

When Katy Roe, Wendy Harrogate and Samantha Leyland decided to set up the Random Acts of Kindness (RAOK) Facebook page, their mission was to help reduce waste and the environment by posting unwanted items that were free to anyone viewing the group.

Katy Roe said, “This group is about reducing waste and helping each other in the community in whatever way we can. Times have been tough for everyone and that little gesture of kindness can help so much.”

I don’t use Facebook, (not technically minded enough), but when researching this article, I went and had a look, there are kids’ toys, school uniforms, wardrobes, table and chairs, chest of drawers and books. There is No SELLING this is a giving post and for me, what better way to ensure that things aren’t wasted than by giving them away, in kindness.

Wendy Harrogate explained that since the page was set up other kindness projects have also been able to take place, “During the run up to Christmas, we asked the community for nominations of deserving families, children or adults. Oldfield’s Hall did a massive collection of foodstuffs for us, so we ended up providing food parcels and gifts to 78 families”. She went on to tell me, “We have been able to hold 2 fundraising raffles for Mother’s Day Hampers and again for Easter and were able to deliver 56 Easter Hampers including 3 for terminal cancer patients and 2 young Carers. Our next project will be for Father’s Day.”

The group are pleased to have been offered help by Serco at HMP Dovegate. Staff donated their Christmas Staff Gift Hampers which were distributed to local Care Homes. At Easter the staff collected just over 150 Easter eggs which once again were distributed to Care Homes in Uttoxeter.

The group were aware that volunteers at the vaccine centres needed kindness and they were able to deliver a car boot full of hand creams/gels and individual sachets of coffee and tea to Burton Albion Community Trust for distribution to the Covid Vaccination Centre volunteers.

Earlier this year, the group were nominated by residents for the Trent and Dove Covid Hero community project awards www.trentanddove.org/residents/trent-dove-covid-hero-awards-2021/ and out of 60 nominations, they won! Wendy commented, “We were so honoured to have been nominated, but to have won, makes us very proud and shows that kindness has been recognised”

Kindness is not only celebrated locally, but also nationwide with a Kindness Day UK kindnessuk.com/ on 13th November each year and their website confirms that, “It is a day to celebrate and promote kindness in all its forms. World Kindness Day falls on the same day and unites people in kindness globally.”

There are so many ways to show kindness, of course it goes without saying, please post on the Random act of kindness Facebook page, but why not try some the things on the list below too that I found by putting Acts of Kindness into Google:

1. Compliment at least 5 people in the next week. (Be original)

2. Ask your school to have a kindness day, so they become an official ‘Kind School’– kindnessuk.com/schools/

3. Let the person in queue behind you go ahead of you

4. Help an elderly neighbour take out the trash or mow their lawn.

5. Write your siblings a note about how much you appreciate them.

6. Leave a thank you note in the mailbox addressed to the postman/woman.

7. Send a card to someone serving in the military.

8. Hold the door open for someone.

9. Do a chore without being asked.

10. Give a chocolate bar to the bus driver.

11. Bake your favourite cookies for a neighbour.

12. Donate warm coats or blankets to the Uttoxeter Heath Community Centre www.uhcc.co.uk

13. If you are an allotment holder, donate your excess fruit and vegetables to the Food Banks in the area.

14. Smile at everyone you see.

15. Do something kind for someone without getting found out, if anyone knows of it, it will not count.

16. Post something on the Random acts of Kindness Facebook page facebook.com/groups/703704783905506/