Dear readers......Kindness has never been needed more than it is right now. We at HELLO! understand our readers may be experiencing a lot of anxiety and worry about themselves and others at the moment, perhaps you are already self-isolating, so we are keen to strengthen our community even further through kindness. We want to stay connected with you! We are continuing to prioritise our #HellotoKindness movement and we call on you today to share your stories with us, and each other, on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
MORE: 7 Charities you can support during coronavirus and how to help
Please take to your social media channels to highlight the small acts of kindness you are carrying out – and have received – and please share photos so we can publish some of these kind acts - being sure to include the #HelloToKindness hashtag. You may wish to write some kind words of support and comfort, to help cheer us all up in the face of this unsettling situation. Perhaps write a poem, paint a picture or devise a motto to help spread a little joy and kindness.
We are all going to have to approach life very differently, but I believe that the time for good news and kindness is now.
Please share your #HellotoKindness stories and we will publish as many as we can!
Thank you
With Kindness,
Rosie and the whole HELLO! team
If you're looking for ideas, AGE UK has plenty of advice for people who want to help elders. As well as offering to pick up shopping, there are a few other things which older people might appreciate. AGE UK suggested to us that people could stay in touch with elderly friends and relatives over the phone, by post or online (or in-person if it is safe to do so and you take the necessary precautions). It could be useful to visit the chemist to pick up prescriptions, or make sure people have what they need to keep going with their hobbies and interests, e.g., going to libraries to collect books, providing items that can help with hobbies like wool if they are knitters, or setting them up with TV shows or podcasts to listen to if they're used to using a smartphone.
MORE: 3 fun games to play with the kids at home from Five Minute Mum
Whether it's something simple like telling your followers to call their grandparents or to doing a food shop for an elderly neighbour, every little counts. And we want to be inspired by your actions!
Here are 33 ideas we've put togehter that you could do and share in our our #HelloToKindness movement
- Batch cook for elderly neighbours
- Set up a relative with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV or Hayu for exciting TV content
- Share your Netflix password with others if you have room on your account
- Leave a packet of toilet roll on the shelf for someone else to pick up
- Teach an older relative how to listen to podcasts if they have a smartphone
- Support a local business by buying a gift voucher
- Dance on social media to bring joy to your followers
- Send a positive daily text to three friends
- Send a thank-you email to the NHS or to school teachers
- Donate your time and offer to call the elderly for a phone chat
- Send food tins to a homeless shelter
- Offer to pick up food shopping for the vulnerable
- Offer to care for someone's garden if they can't themselves
- Buy flowers for someone to brighten their day
- Send a pick-me-up Funky Pigeon card
- Bake cakes for neighbours and leave on their doorstep with a note
- Create photo albums for anyone who might feel lonely
- Create a Spotify playlist for someone with all their favourite songs
- Offer to walk someone's dog who might need the help
- Get in touch with OnHand about potential volunteering opportunities
- If you have a friend who works in the medical profession, get in touch to say you're thinking of them, and see if they need anything during this busy time
- Lend a spare tablet/laptop/phone you might have to an elderly neighbour/relative so they can Facetime/skype family
- If you're still being paid from work but can't see hairdresser/nail salon/ cleaner etc, send them a payment to support them
- Donate sanitary products to women and families who can't get out to the shops
- Donate to homeless/women's refuge shelters as they probably need the funds more than ever
- Set up a Gousto recipe box to be sent to someone who can't go out but who really loves cooking
- Compile a list of uplifting/positive books to read and dish out to those around you
- As well as donating to food banks (as has already been listed) offer/volunteer to help them out with collecting items and re-distributing
- If you know anyone that is feeling particularly anxious, send them a hand-written letter or write out a 'reasons to be happy' list
- If you have stocked up on cleaning stuff (or happen to have supply already in your cupboards) ask around to see if anyone else is running low
- Set up a strictly Coronavirus-free-zone WhatsApp group and invite all your friends, no corona chat/updates, just positive vibes (as sometimes it feels like no escape!)
- Set up a Skype book club/ wine club/ exercise-from-home club to beat the loneliness of self-isolation
- If you play an instrument or you sing, you could do an Instagram Live and share your 'gig' with your followers
Social media is a brilliant way to connect people and create communities. Join HELLO!'s #HelloToKindness movement to promote positivity on social media. A kind ethos underpins everything we do at HELLO! and we would love to use your content on HELLO! and our social media channels to highlight all the great things happening in the world at this difficult time. Find out more about the #HelloToKindness movement.
