- Give to a local foodbank
658,048 three-day emergency food supplies were given to people in crisis by Trussell Trust’s foodbanks in April – September this year. You can help the trust and other charitable organisations by donating non-perishables such as tinned vegetables and fish, biscuits and sugar - which are easier to store and hand out to those in need. World Kindness Day is a great time to contact your local council to find your nearest foodbank (lots of our stores have collection points for these too) - or ask your Community Champion if there’s one near your Morrisons.
- Donate a gift
Speak to local care homes, hospices or charities - like our own partner, CLIC Sargent - to see what their residents and guests might need for everyday living, or even for Christmas. Toiletries, books and clothing are often much appreciated as much as toys or other gifts. You might spot a clothing bank in some of our car parks, which is a great way to help those in need when you have a clear-out.
- Offer babysitting services
It can be lots of fun to look after your friends’ children for an afternoon as Christmas parties start to fill up calendars - and babysitting will give your friends a much needed break to do a spot of Christmas shopping for their presents too.
- Go green
Be kind to the planet as well as to other people, and make an early New Year’s resolution to recycle and re-use wherever possible. We accept plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic magazine wrap and more at our store collection points - as well as batteries - and you can even bring your own containers to Market Street counters to help us cut plastic waste. Take a look at how we're getting behind the UK Plastics Pact.
Refill your own water bottle in our cafes for free, and get a discount on hot drinks when you use your own cup too.
- Share your skills
You might be a dab hand at DIY, a miracle-worker on manicures, or a whizz with setting up wifi. Offer to share your know-how with a friend, family member or neighbour to help them get things done during in the winter.
- Send some flowers
You don't need a special occasion to send flowers - let someone know you're thinking of them with a bouquet this World Kindness Day, perhaps a bunch of Thank You Flowers for kindness they've shown or a good deed they've done themselves recently.
- Donate your time
Whether it’s making money for charity or supporting a local initiative, winter is a great time to lend a hand. Speak to your Morrisons Community Champion in store for some ideas on how you can do your good deeds for World Kindness Day and beyond, or join in with any upcoming events they might be organising in your area.
- Love thy neighbour
Offering to pick up groceries can mean an awful lot to an elderly neighbour or relative - or someone who’s not so well at the moment. You could also fill a tin with sweets or biscuits and offer them to your neighbours, paper boy or girl, bin collectors, posties, meter readers and anyone else who calls by.
27% of over 75s said they feel lonely often or very often in a recent BBC and Wellcome Collection survey - The Loneliness Experiment
- Decorate your town
Your community might have a church, a hall, an outside area or a street that needs a festive touch in the run up to Christmas. The more people who help, the prettier it will look - but do ask your local council first...they may be glad of the help on a particular project.
World Kindness Day - now in its 20th year - is celebrated annually on 13th November, to encourage people to do good deeds, make positive changes in their lives and spread the love as far as possible.
Here are just some of the things you can do on World Kindness Day 2018 itself, or pledge to do throughout the year. From recycling more to helping neighbours and local charities, the smallest things can make the biggest difference.
