{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Nicola Hilliard, Creative Content Producer","standfirst":"Scouts have also had an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place at its heart, helping to promote our values of care, respect, and co-operation.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EWorld Kindness Day is celebrated annually on 13 November. It serves as a powerful reminder of the incredible impact that compassion and friendliness has in our own communities.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd when it comes to giving help and spreading joy in our local areas, we know no group does it better than Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHere are 7 ideas to put a smile on someone\u2019s face and help your local community, one act of kindness at a time.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/zu1jz5en/a-girl-wearing-a-necker-and-putting-a-planter-togethermin.png","width":7360,"height":4912,"altText":"A girl wearing a necker and putting a planter together","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E1. Spread positivity\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPut a smile on someone\u2019s face by leaving hidden notes for them to find. You could put mood-boosting bookmarks in library books, make painted pebbles to leave outside, or post positive postcards through letterboxes.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2. Gather donations\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA great option to spread kindness is to collect and donate much-needed items to places where they can make a difference. Some ideas might be:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EDonating much need items to a food bank\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ECreating comfort bags for people in hospital\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EGiving clothing or products to a homeless shelter\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EDonating period products to a women\u2019s refuge\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EProviding food and blankets for an animal shelter\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EGiving toys and books to a children\u2019s hospital\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EGetting Braille books or large print books\u00A0for a local library\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are lots of ways to do this. You might fundraise to buy the items needed. You could also ask for and set up donation points locally to collect items from the wider community.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you do plan to fundraise to purchase donations, you can tie this in practising money-skills. Have a trip to a supermarket for Scouts to buy donations and see who can get the most with the cash they\u2019ve raised.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/yprnkmxt/a-young-squirrel-carrying-a-spade.jpeg","width":640,"height":427,"altText":"A young Squirrel carrying a spade","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E3. Help local wildlife\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYou could make wildlife homes, such as for hedgehogs, bats, birds or bugs. You might choose to plant trees or bee-friendly flowers.\u00A0Some other ideas might be putting out bird feeders or taking part in a conservation project.\u00A0If you\u2019re wanting to go a step further, why not create a local sensory garden, nature garden, or community vegetable allotment?\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E4. Fundraise for a local cause.\u00A0\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EChoose a local charity or cause, then fundraise for them. Try to think outside the box if you want to try something different. Could you try walking the distance to the moon at the local park? Hold a sponsored 10k on a space hopper? Or, reach the height of Everest on an indoor climbing wall?\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESome other ideas might be:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003Erunning a quiz\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003Ebag-packing\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003Ewashing cars\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003Esponsored events\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003Ecycling or scootering a certain distance\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003Eholding a bake sale\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003Eputting on a fashion show\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003Esetting up an art exhibit and selling the things you\u2019ve made\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/aden2fxf/a-volunteer-putting-up-bunting-at-a-local-eventmin.png","width":7360,"height":4912,"altText":"A volunteer putting up bunting at a local event","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E5. Improve the local environment\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECould you bring a new lease of life in your local area? You could brighten up a dull wall by creating a community mural, make some planters for outside the local library or organise a litter picking session. Just make sure you have the landowner\u2019s permission before starting.\u0026nbsp;For bigger changes, you might want to campaign to a local authority, such as an MP or council. For example, you could ask for a new road crossing or better lighting by a bus stop.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E6. Adopt a \u2018grandfriend\u0027\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESee if you can find any older members of the community who might want some company, such as at a local care home. There are lots of ways you can make friends with them. You can write them letters, bake or paint together, host a quiz, play board games, have a sports day, read stories, or you might even put on an intergenerational talent show!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E7. Share your skills!\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe all know Scouts have lots of skills - so why not spread happiness and share them? You might want to volunteer to teach a technology class for your local community or set up a bike workshop. You could choose to organise a party for a care home, or write recipe cards for your local food bank for people to take and use.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/pasfj3pf/a-scout-carrying-spades-at-a-local-community-projectmin.png","width":7023,"height":4687,"altText":"A Scout carrying spades at a local community project","caption":"","link":null}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"19 October 2023","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"Take a look at our Community Impact Activity Badge","url":"/staged-badges/community-impact/","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Discover some community based Scout activities","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/?type=Community%20engagement\u0026outcome=Help%20your%20community\u0026outcome=Be%20a%20citizen","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"See how Scouts have been helping others","url":"/about-us/our-campaigns/","newWindow":true}],"relatedLinks":[],"id":77406,"nodeName":"7 ways to help your local community on World Kindness Day","title":"7 ways to help your local community on World Kindness Day","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/18328/cub-making-heart.jpg?cc=0.0000000000000001263187085796,0,0,0.1563102635526033\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dae33998c158e0","caption":"Cub making heart with hands","type":"jpg","size":837217,"width":7000,"height":4667,"altText":"A Cub in a green jumper and necker looks at the camera while making a heart shape with their hands."},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"7 ways to help your local community on World Kindness Day","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Be inspired with ways that you can bring a smile to your local community.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC83NzQwNiJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2023/november/7-ways-to-help-your-local-community-on-world-kindness-day/"}