I’ve been overwhelmed by the acts of kindness I’ve seen spreading across social media and in my personal life of late.

Yes, there’s a lot of awful things happening in the world today – but this post is focusing on all the good people do.

Here’s a list of heart-warming tales I’ve come across (please comment and add your own):

1. 1. 1. £10 challenge: I spotted on facebook a great idea – give your child £10 to spend on a weekly shop – and their shopping goes to the local food bank. Not only does this help families in need using the food bank but it teaches your child about money, budgeting and buying what they need.
      2. Christmas Hamper Appeals: I’ve seen so many people donate and create beautiful hampers this year. Not only do they spread Christmas cheer, hampers are full of Christmas necessities and treats that can really help a family in need.
      3. A simple white envelope on a Christmas tree went viral. Each Christmas one family treated each other to gifts beyond any monetary value. The mum would treat the Dad by a random act of kindness to those in need and on opening the envelope on Christmas Day he would discover where his gift had gone to.
      4. My partner Chris posted on his facebook page about helping the homeless after being touched by one man’s plight. His post went viral over-night and he was then inspired to set up ‘Warm Up Wakefield’ for homeless people in the city where we live. His idea has been to make the winter as manageable as possible for those in need. Three weeks in and he’s had more than 1500 donations, an army of volunteers and hundreds of followers to the campaign on facebook.
      5. Christmas shoe box appeal: Every child deserves to feel special. So I just love the Christmas shoe box appeals full of gifts and treats for vulnerable children. Strangers wrap these boxes lovingly in order to give achild they may never meet a Christmas to remember.
      6. I was shopping in Asda when I started chatting to a mum whose daughter was in remission from an aggressive form of cancer. She had been fundraising for a children’s Cancer charity and was in tears as a stranger had just handed her £100.