To ask for random acts of kindness that you've carried out...

[IchWill]

I believe that kindness breeds kindness. I often carry out random acts of kindness, because:

1. If I'm able to, why wouldn't I?
2. The world would be a nicer place if we all helped others out more often.
3. It makes me feel good to make a positive impact on someone's life.

Most I go about and do quietly, genuinely not helping people for recognition or glory, but when I have shared one or two examples with friends, they've said I've inspired them.

Let's hear your random acts of kindness...

Ahhhh. Thought it was some critic with no soul. I was half right!

What a fantastic thread!

I spotted an elderly gentleman looking lost a couple of years ago, so I walked with him, helping him to the doctors where he had an appointment. He seemed very confused and lonely, told me his woes on the slow walk there but thanked me profusely for helping him there.

Driving home one afternoon I spotted a motorised wheelchair partly off the kerb. I turned back and helped them back onto the path. They could have been stuck there for hours - loads of cars zoomed past without thinking to help.

Thank you for starting this gorgeous thread. I have been so stressed and grinchy recently that I actually told my DC to be less kind to their friends when they were being exceedingly generous and both of them very gently put me straight that this was what friendship is about.

You've inspired me, OP, to a RAOK every day of advent. I'm going to run through thisa thread and make a list of ideas.
@Madbengalmum - someone gave me a voucher in a queue once, in WH Smiths. I was standing with my arms overflowing with stationery for DC's start of term and she just lay it on top of my stuff and said, 'Could you use this?' It saved me £10 at a time when we were short of money. It was so kind. I've never forgotten.

I got off an Overground train at my local station a few months ago, heard a guy with a Spanish accent asking a member of staff for directions to somewhere nearby, but the staff member didn't know the place. I approached the man, spoke to him in Spanish, took him out of the station and showed him which way to go - he was very pleased, and so was I because I got to speak Spanish!

DH passed a very elderly lady with a frame waving at passing traffic. No-one stopped. He dropped off DD at her appointment and went back to see if she was still there. Having stopped and chatted it transpired that she had no food, no money, and needed to get into town. He loaded her (and her frame) into the car. She was 95, lived alone, and had no-one. He went into town and dropped her off at the bank, and that was that.

We are waiting to see if a man is being sort for kidnapping an elderly confused old lady and taking her into town against her will

Ah older it’s great to make a joke of it but isn’t it a shame that people are wary of helping just in case their altruistic acts are misconstrued?

My favourite one to do is, if it’s persisting down with rain and someone (usually a much older person, it has to be said) is battling along a road in the wind and rain, obviously completely miserable, maybe unsteady on their feet, to stop and give them a lift.

It can make a huge difference to someone’s day.

The first time I did it with the kids in the car they were and went quiet, but they’re used to it now😉

I am loving reading these. X

I once paid for a woman's groceries when she hadn't the money and was getting embarassed having to put things back. She was so shocked and asked why. I told her I'd been broke at one time and knew how it felt.

I buy food and drinks for homeless people, especially in winter.

Was thinking earlier that I've got really mean recently but remembered I offered to walk a neighbour's dog because she'd injured her leg. She refused but seemed glad of the offer.

I love putting nice things on Freecycle. Once a woman came for a big electric piano. She was really short of money and wanted it for her son. She was so pleased to get it and you could tell how excited she was at what her son would think when he saw it.

Loving these stories that keep on coming and @OneStepMoreFun so happy this had inspired you.

A couple of years back, I was a bit down and not feeling Christmas. So I signed up to serve cooked breakfasts to our local rough sleepers in our old bus station, I checked in on Facebook and asked if any friends wanted to join me. One who turned up, I found out was slowly going through a difficult break-up with her husband and hasn't told anyone, but couldn't face Christmas Day.

Another friend was coming back from a party (hadn't been to bed) and he wasnt in the mood for Christmas as he didn'this son over that year, so he also turned up to muck in, smelling like a brewery and covered in glitter! The staff got him to sit with the small group of equally well-oiled guests! They had great fun chatting over a fry up.

I then bumped into my brother's mate there, with his teenage kids, I asked what they were all doing there Christmas morning and his said his kids were 'selfish and ungrateful bastards', moreso at Christmas, so he was giving them a lesson in humility and empathy.

What an amazing thread!
I always try to help people who look lost. Often they are as I live in confusing place.
I also offer my bus tickets to people.
I always try to be kind.

I always give my Sainsbos till spits to the person behind me especially if it's £5 off a £20 spend. I rarely spend that much in one go.

I leave money off vouchers on the shelves.

I always ensure I pass my dayrider bus ticket onto somebody once I've finished with it.

I once helped a lady in the bus who had an epileptic fit, alerted the driver, called an ambulance and went through her phone and managed to find her Dad to call him so he knew what happened. I was in the local paper for that. I'm really shy , but the lady really wanted to raise Epilepsy awareness.

On Tuesday there was a Year seven boy from a local school in front of me in The Entertainer Toy shop. He was fumbling around in his bags and blazer looking for meiney to buy a Bear. He couldn't find it and said I could go in front of him whilst he searched. I said to the till assistant to add it onto my bill. The lad was thrilled and so surprised.

I try to be kind when I can. It can be a cruel world and if I can make it better for people I will. E.g. I'll always try and engage in conversation with adults with learning difficulties who catch our local bus. I have a son with Aspergers and see how cruel the world can be. I do all I can to bring a little light. E.g. buying puzzles and bits and bobs and uniform bits for the class I work in.

Some of these are so lovely.

I used to buy the daily fail for the free Lego and leave the paper on the bench in the mall.

Buy pack of ice lollies in the summer on the way home from school and give the spare to school kids (ours are in bright yellow tops so they probably recognise my 2 boys). This is still cheaper than 2 ice cream van ones.

At the supermarket checkout the lady serving me told me how lovely she thought the yellow roses were I had in my basket. She said they were her mother’s favourite but since her death she hadn’t been able to bring herself to buy any that color. After I finished paying I said I’d like her to have the ones I’d bought - as long as she was happy to have them. She was so grateful and I was glad I asked her.

@tiru18 That's lovely. That was my grandad's favourite too.

I once paid for an old fella's petrol. I was standing behind him in the queue and he couldn't remember his PIN, the cashier called the manager who brought out the book for his details so I paid for both of our fuel.

He was getting really upset and frustrated with himself when he couldn't remember but was so grateful that a random person had done something kind. I just suggested that do something kind for someone else one day.

I often buy gift cards for coffee shops for the homeless guys begging near work.

I take lollies for all the staff and residents at the nursing home where my husband works on a hot day and will probably take some non-alcoholic wine and mince pies in on Christmas Day for the people who are working. He's at home this year which will be lovely but it's shit when you can't be with your family on Christmas Day.

It became obvious from a thread that one of my friends friends (that I don’t personally know) was massively struggling (kinda with SN, no money, mental health issues) so the girl I know acted as a go-between so I could pass on money for a weekly shop. I got the most beautiful thank you letter in return and as it had her address in it I have ordered a hamper for her for Christmas to arrive in a couple of weeks. I will always keep the card and she will probably get sporadic gifts for a while yet.

Sorry kids with SN that should read

One dofficukt year I was nominated for the MN Secret Santa (which isn’t done anymore as the site is so big).

A lovely MNer sent me a Costa card with £20 on it. I will never know who she was but cannot tell you how lovely it was to be able to pause in town sometimes and buy a lovely coffee and relax.

Life is much better now and I try to do my utmost to pay that kindness forward. I volunteer to support parents, I will be buying extra gifts this Xmas for children who might otherwise get nothing. Donating via Satire Aid . I note when someone is having a hard time and post anonymously a Costa or Starbucks card with around £10 on it because I remember how lovely that was.

I sent sippy cups onto a child who had autism, it was the only cup he'd drink out of and I had 2 unused in the cupboard so why not?

The mother asked me for my paypal address to at least pay postage but I wouldn't accept it. I hope if I'm ever in that situation someone would help me to help my child.

I saw a woman in the supermarket once who was buying a few essentials like meat, biscuits, sanitary products and cat food. When she got through the till she was counting out change etc and didn’t have enough, so she told the woman to put her food back and she would pay for the cat food with the money she had. So I paid for her shopping because I thought it was so lovely that she would go without food so her cats could eat.

Also when I worked at a god awful bargain shop lol there was a girl there who was a bit socially awkward and didn’t have many friends and a family member of hers died and she couldn’t get the time off work and nobody would cover her shift and even though I didn’t really know her and didn’t work the same days as her I took a day off uni to cover her shift so she didn’t miss the funeral. She kept asking “but what about uni?” So I just said well you going to the funeral is more important than a couple of lectures I can get online later.

Every Christmas me and DS go to Tesco and buy all the staples for their food bank - we buy 5 of everything they have and it never comes to much but the staff always seem surprised, but it's helping local families and comes to less than my normal weekly shop

Paid the bus fare of seriously 'dazed and confused' Italian kid after an all-night rave!

I also buy the lunch/coffee whatever of ambulance staff, firefighters and police if I happen to see them. And always let them in front of me in the queue.

God I'm welling up again. Seriously.

Taking a day off uni to help out someone to attend that funeral, the lady who would sacrifice her own food for her pets (I would do same) and food banks, I volunteer for and donate to.

No body really knows so I'm not sure how kind it is but I live next to a graveyard that's quite remote.

If wreaths or flowers (fake) fall down I put them back up and there's one baby's grave where every year they leave a stuffed animal and I take them home twice a year and put them in the washing machine and put them back. In the winter when it's snows (and the cemetery is closed to the road) I put them up high in trees.

Probably a bit weird though.