You might think of ‘kindness acts’ as one-on-one – a small, shared interaction between two people. But what do you do when it's needed on a bigger scale?
It can be easy to feel powerless when a whole community needs kindness, but you can play a part in something that makes the world of difference...
Take
Swimunity, who offers free weekly swimming lessons to children and adults in London. It began in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire, which happened in the community where the founder lived.
We spoke to Omie Dale, Director and Swim Instructor, about her experience working with local families and how kindness has appeared in adversity.
“It was formed as a safe space to not only learn to swim, but also enjoy the many benefits the water can bring to body and mind,” Omie explains. “Our sessions offer both parents and children time with other local families.”
Many of the team are volunteers, wanting to support those around them after the fire. But their own kindness helps them too.
“We’ve been really blessed with an incredible team of volunteers,” says Omie. “Many of them derive much happiness from giving back to the local community.”
“You can see the tangible impact you’re having – it definitely helps keep me grounded.”
Omie’s tips on starting a kinder lifestyle? “Supporting your community can start from something as small as greeting your neighbour in the morning and spreading positivity. I believe we all have a duty towards those around us through our conduct, our work and using our privilege and position that we may have to help others.”
Everything Swimunity provides is free of cost, and so they rely on donations to continue their work. You can
donate to Swimunity here.
We also wanted to share the causes close to our heart here at H&B. Here are the partnerships we’ve made to try and bring a little extra happiness into the world...