Nottingham City Council’s new Looking After Each Other campaign will finish its first week with a warm fuzzy feeling this Friday 11 November when the people of Nottingham are being asked to carry out random acts of kindness for #FeelGoodFriday.
We want you to get involved in carrying out random acts of kindness across the city and help us set social media abuzz with everything that gives Nottingham and its people the worthy reputation of being a super-friendly city.
The acts of kindness don’t have to be massive, just a smile to a passerby or helping your elderly neighbour with their shopping. To help you out we’ve given you some ideas below or check out the Looking After Each Other website for loads more ideas. Just as a bit of abenchmark 8,000 random acts of kindness were recorded on Derby’s Good Deed Day so not to detract from the community spirit but let’s take their record off them!
How to get involved
Think about an act of kindness you can do for #FeelgoodFriday then share your idea with @MyNottingham and use the hashtag #feelgood. Encourage others to do something too!
On Friday we want your pics and videos of you carrying out or receiving a random act of kindness! Be sure to tag the handle @MyNottingham and use the hashtag #feelgood.
Smile
Smiling is infectious. It makes you feel happy… and it can make other people’s day too. It’s contagious: sharing a smile is a great way to spread happiness around you. It costs nothing – and everyone can do it. And did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you’ll live — and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being?
Say a kind word
A kind word can go a long way. A compliment can really lift another person. Why not make a conscious effort to say something nice to someone – it could be a complete stranger or just send a genuine compliment to one of your mates on Facebook. Nottingham’s Primary Parliament to come up with a list of kind, positive words to give you some inspiration. Our favs are
Give up a seat
Why not let someone else take the weight-off for a few minutes? It could be on the bus, on the tram, on the train – even in the park. Especially if the other person looks elderly or frail… or if they’ve had a really tough day! It’s a simple act that shows you’re thinking of others. As well as giving up seats, we’re encouraging older people to Take a Seat when they’re out and about.
Pick up litter
Nothing makes our city and our neighbourhoods look more uncared for and unloved than litter. You’re never really very far from a bin, so there’s no excuse to drop rubbish. But even more than that, if you spot something on the floor, why not pick it up and put it in the bin? As well as the everyday, out-and-about acts you could even join or set-up your own litter picking group. In Nottingham, we have Clean Champions.
Phone a friend or elderly relative (don’t just text)
We all text. It’s so quick and simple. But how about making time for a proper chat? Especially for someone who maybe hasn’t had someone to talk to. May be your nan or grandad? Or your mum or dad? Or a friend you only normally connect with by liking their posts on Facebook. Even if it’s for five to 10 minutes – letting someone know you’re thinking of them can make a huge difference.
Microvolunteering
Microvolunteering is all about little actions to support charities and voluntary sector organisations. Most of these can be done in your own time whenever you want to, and lots of them can be done from a SmartPhone. Nottingham CVS has loads of great ways to help.
Support Nottingham Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is a way to raise money, awareness and support for a project, from the people around you. It’s a means of funding that allows individuals to make their ideas a reality with the power of the crowd. Crowdfunding enables people with great ideas to raise the money they need, in return for ‘rewards’. The public can back your idea with pledges of money and project owners can ‘thank’ their backers with rewards that reflect the money contributed. There are loads of Crowdfunding projects in Nottingham that would love your support.
Make time for your neighbours
Getting to know the people who live nearby helps create a sense of belonging and shared identity in our local area. It also helps to strengthen connections and trust in our wider communities and contributes to a happier neighbourhood for everyone. Our lives are often so busy we don’t get to connect with the people who live close to us. This is especially true in big cities, where everyone comes and goes at different times and new neighbours move in and out. Don’t know how to start? There are some great tips available.
Pull out all the bins
This is so simple – but it can make the world of difference to someone who might struggle with a heavy wheelie bin. If you’re new to your neighbourhood, find out when your bin days are.
We’d love to hear your ideas for random acts of kindness that can be carried out on #FeelGoodFriday, contact us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Don’t forget to share your pictures and videos on Friday tagging @MyNottingham and using the hashtag #FeelGood.
Have a fantastic week Nottingham!
