Category: Celebrating Acts of Kindness

Phillipa,* a sole parent, had just come out of hospital after surgery and was convalescing, when she was faced with having to move house. The people she would normally turn to for help were not available, leaving her worried about how she would cope. To her delight, several people she hardly knew stepped forward and […]

On my way to the local shops, I was curious to see an older lady walking with a plastic bag. She walked with dignity and looked purposeful, but every time she passed a piece of rubbish, she bent down, picked it up, popped it into her bag and carried on walking. In a very humble […]

Sonya* was going through a bad patch and struggling to pay her bills. One day she went to the letterbox and was surprised to find an envelope containing a $100 supermarket gift card. There was no name or return address, so Sonya had no idea who to thank, but she was delighted with the unexpected gift. […]

Sally* recently ordered a book online, but because the payment system was so quick and simple, she did not realise that she had ordered and paid for the book twice. When two copies of the book arrived, she was unsure what to do. Rather than send the second copy back and ask for a refund, […]

People who work in the helping professions often go above and beyond their job descriptions to help the people they support. One example is Rosa*, whose job involves helping refugee families to settle in New Zealand. Rosa’s compassion for those who have experienced terrible conditions in their home countries and in crowded refugee camps, prompts […]

If we see a stranger in trouble, it’s good to stop and help – but sometimes we can get it wrong.  The other day as I pulled into my street, I saw a motorcycle on its side and its rider sprawled out on a grassy bank by the side of the road. Immediately I pulled […]

The principle of kindness applies to animals, as well as humans. Recently Lynley* found a cat lying on her front deck. Somehow its front paw had got caught in its collar, so that it couldn’t walk. Although she was a stranger to the cat, Lynley approached it and unbuckled its collar to set its leg […]

Gizelle writes: “I would like to make a shoutout to my school counsellors who are so kind and work sooooo hard to help us here at my school. They are the most caring and hard-working people I’ve ever met. I know one of them reads Happy Nation newsletters and tells us all about it.” Thanks […]

Shout out to the surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and other staff who are voluntarily donating their time and expertise on Saturdays 9 and 23 November to provide free surgeries for up to 70 patients. Braemar Hospital is a private hospital in Hamilton, NZ, but the Braemar Charitable Trust Community Surgery Programme arranges free surgeries for deserving […]

My sister came across a lady who had lost her car in a large shopping centre car park. They both climbed into my sister’s car and drove around until they found it. A simple act of kindness for a stranger that made her day a little less stressful.