One of our core values at the Fire Fighters Charity is kindness – we always aim to support each other and those we work with, we care about our whole fire services community, and we recognise the value of every individual.
And with that in mind, we’ve shared 10 small acts of kindness which could make a huge difference to our communities, each other and to ourselves.
Why not give some of them a go?
- Check in with others: Make time to check in with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours to see how they’re doing. A little goes a long way, and starting the conversation can be the first step in helping someone.
- Be kind to yourself: This may not be a concept that comes naturally to many of us but taking a bit of time out of each day for some self-care might just be the best thing you could do for your own wellbeing. Maybe it’s reading a magazine or sitting quietly in the garden. It could be having a hot bath or taking a detour through a park on your walk home.
- Say it with cooking: We all love food, and cooking or baking can be incredibly therapeutic as it encourages creativity as well as an excuse to switch off for a little while. Why not show someone your appreciation by baking them your favourite cake, or cooking them dinner and dropping it off? It’s a great way to bring people together.
- Be kind to the environment: Spending time outside and enjoying all that nature has to offer can have a hugely positive effect on our physical and mental wellbeing. But we can also help look after our environment by helping out in our local communities and getting involved with activities such as a tree planting initiative, or arranging a sponsored litter picking challenge.
- Donate your time: Can you volunteer your time with a local organisation? There are many people in our communities for whom volunteer-led local support is a desperately-needed lifeline. Could you help sort donations at a local food bank, volunteer at your local hospital or care home or maybe volunteer your time as one of our telephone befrienders? You can check out our volunteering opportunities
- Give yourself a pat on the back: Many of us struggle to acknowledge our own contributions, but if you’ve gone the extra mile at work or at home, or simply uplifted a colleague or loved one facing a tough time, take pride in that! These actions, big or small, greatly enhance your wellbeing, as well as those around you.
- Make contact in the community: Do you live near someone who might appreciate some help with shopping, running errands or even taking the dog for a walk? Reach out – you never know how much it could help both of you.
- Fundraise: Why not organise some fundraising at your school, workplace or in your street, something small like a tabletop sale or a sponsored event and get your whole community involved. Or take on a fundraising challenge and raise some money to support our charity.
- Make a gift for the future. While you’re thinking about kind gestures, have you thought about how you could leave the world a better place? A gift in your will is one of the most incredible gestures you can make to support our fire services community, and it costs you nothing to do. So, once you’ve taken care of your friends and family, why not consider leaving a legacy that will be there for future generations? Find out more about leaving a gift in your will here.
- Small gestures of kindness: We all spend our lives rushing around and barley noticing what’s going on around us or other people, take time to say “hello” to a stranger, let someone go in front of you in the supermarket queue, help with carrying someone’s bags or simply pay a compliment – you’ll be surprised what a difference this can make to someone and how good it makes you feel.
Don’t forget, if something is affecting your daily wellbeing, you can contact our Support Line on 0800 389 8820 or make an enquiry online here.