20 Random Acts of Kindness
Research shows that being kind makes us happier and, as we move forward into a new year, what better way to improve our happiness than by incorporating more kindness into our lives?
Inspired by an article which appeared in The Guardian in early January , we share some ideas for finding your own acts of kindness during 2023.
With opportunities available in Thanet, Dover District and Folkestone & Hythe, take a look and find one which is the perfect fit for you.
For more inspiration, pop along to our two FREE upcoming events:
Boost Your Health and Wellbeing – Wednesday 1 March 12noon to 2pm – Discovery Planet, 47 High Street, Ramsgate CT11 9AG
Celebrating International Women’s Day Thanet – Saturday 18 March 12noon to 2pm – Turner Contemporary, Margate
1 Support Food Banks – Food banks rely on the generosity of others and you can donate much needed items or your time to help support the work they do.
Search for a food bank near you at and get in touch or follow them on social media to find out which items to donate or how you can use your time to help the team.
Opportunities currently available in Folkestone https://www.rainbow-centre.org/ and Deal Deal Area Foodbank | Helping Local People in Crisis
2 Befriending – Become a befriender and help older people avoid loneliness and isolation. Volunteers are interest matched with older people and it’s a great way to make new friends and offer valuable support. Telephone befriending is also available and, if you have a bit more free time, how about becoming an Assisted Shopping Befriender? For more information visit:
Become a Befriender – Kent Coast Volunteering (kcv.org.uk)
Age UK Thanet | Volunteer or https://www.ageuk.org.uk/southkentcoast/
Befrienders/Volunteer Visitors, Kent Association for the Blind
3 Mentoring – Help support a young person in care, help develop life skills, communication and confidence. Mainly, the role is to have fun! Find out more about mentoring opportunities in your area at:
The Young Lives Foundation – Making a Difference (ylf.org.uk)
Action For Children | Children’s charity | For safe and happy childhoods
4 Tutoring – Brilliant at Maths? Phenomenal at Physics? Bi-lingual? The Access Programme supports students from disadvantaged backgrounds to access top universities and are looking for volunteers to tutor young people aged 14-18 online for one hour a week in term time.
No prior teaching or tutoring experience necessary, for more information visit Home – The Access Project
5 Community Cafes – Wherever you live, the chances are there’s a community café near you! These friendly teams are usually volunteer led and a great way to learn new skills, make friends and support your local community. Try:
Ramsgate Friends of Ellington Park –
Margate The Lounge, Thanet Iceberg Project –
Broadstairs The Gap Project –
Dover Sunrise Cafe –
6 Become a Trustee – Support charities by becoming a trustee. Whatever your skill, you can almost certainly contribute. Opportunities currently available at:
QEQM Hospital League of Friends
Kent Association for the Blind
7 Volunteer driver – Offer your driving skills to help people who are unable or find it difficult to access public transport. Organisations will often reimburse costs at a fixed mileage rate.
Find out more at Become a Driver – Kent Coast Volunteering (kcv.org.uk)
8 Bee the Change – help save bumblebees and make your local area more bumblebee friendly. For tips and advice, free how to guides and resources, visit Homepage – Bee The Change | Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
9 Puppy Raising – Provide a puppy with a vital foundation for its future role as a guide dog. For more information visit
10 DIY – The Golf Road Community Centre in Deal needs Maintenance and DIY staff who like to fix and maintain things
11 Gardening & Green Spaces – Benefit from outdoor exercise, fresh air and the joy of growing by volunteering your gardening skills. Opportunities currently available at:
Friends of Ellington Park, Ramsgate
Windmill Community Gardens, Margate
Powell Cotton Museum, Birchington
12 Conservation – our corner of Kent is blessed with beautiful countryside and coast and there are lots of opportunities to be involved with the teams who look after these wonderful open spaces. If you enjoy helping wildlife and like to be out in the fresh air, check out these links:
Conservation Volunteer, Monkton Nature Reserve
Coastal Engagement Volunteer, Kent Wildlife Trust
Livestock Checkers, Kent Wildlife Trust
Wilder Coast Volunteers, Oare Marshes & South Swale or Sandwich & Pegwell Bay
Coastal Warden, Thanet Coast Project
Samphire Hoe Rangers, Dover
White Cliffs of Dover, various opportunities including bird and butterfly surveying, conservation and environmental volunteers, wardens and livestock lookers.
The White Cliffs Countryside Partnership
13 Litter pick – A fantastic and easy way to improve the cleanliness and make a positive difference in your community.Invest in your own litter picker and tidy up the street where you live or join a group event such as The Great British Spring Clean.
14 Take the photo – we’ve all seen somebody trying to get everyone in the photo frame for a selfie. Offer to take the picture for them!
15 Declutter – make time to have a sort out and rehome those items you no longer use or need. Donate to your local charity shop (they may collect larger items) or list items on apps such as Freecycle or Gumtree.
16 Pay a compliment – the ultimate free kindness! A few words – ‘I love your dress!’, ‘Fabulous shoes’ – are guaranteed to lift someone’s day.
17 Write a postcard – Let someone know you’re thinking of them. So much more meaningful than a text message!
18 Clean up – if you have a friend who has a lot on, offer to pop round and vacuum the carpets. One less job for them and a dose of kindness feel good for you.
19 Drive kindly – be patient, wave thank you to other drivers, allow pedestrians to cross. Our roads are so busy, let’s make using them a safer and nicer experience for us all.
20 Offer to help – if someone looks like they could do with a hand carrying the heavy bag, lifting the pram onto the bus, reaching an item at the supermarket, ask if you can help. Do what you can to make somebody else’s day a little bit easier.