Purvai Dua – Account Executive at Spreckley
We are living through a global health crisis and it is now more than ever that we need positive initiatives that spread good vibes. With social distancing keeping people apart, social media provides invaluable platforms for communities to come together and spread acts of kindness and joy in these extraordinary times.
Some social media stories are hugely inspiring, with people from different walks of life, cultures and belief systems using technology to drive conversations around #kindness. Looking back over the last few weeks, here are some of the brightest #kindness episodes that will surely put a smile on your faces:
Cheering for the real heroes
Let not the stories of empty supermarket shelves and people arguing over toilet rolls paint a bleak picture of humanity!
In an emotional yet thoughtful tribute last week, thousands of people in the UK stepped out to their doorsteps and balconies to applaud the real heroes — the healthcare workers currently battling coronavirus and putting their lives at risk to do so.
Doctors, nurses and healthcare workers have been on the front line in this global pandemic and it is heartwarming to see everyone acknowledge their selfless efforts. The campaign #ClapForOurCarers which triggered the kind movement was started by London-based Annemarie Plas who was inspired by similar tributes in the Spain and France. In a recent interview, Plas said that she hoped the act would give some “strength and boost to whoever needs it.”
Once again, we saw social media lit up with claps and cheers for front line responders arriving from Cuba. Since the 1959 revolution, Cuba has sent its ‘armies of white robes’ to disaster-stricken countries around the world. This time when the medical workers from Cuba arrived at the most-impacted nations like Italy, they were greeted with loud cheers and claps.
Outpouring of initiatives for the NHS
We all know how hard the NHS staff are working right now and it is great to see many positive initiatives to help the staff members. In London, both Uber and Deliveroo are offering hundreds of free trips and meals to NHS staff fighting the coronavirus. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has praised both the firms for ‘playing their part in this great national effort’.
We read how leading brewery and pub chain BrewDog has started making hand sanitisers at its distillery in Aberdeenshire to assist with shortages. The latest announcement shows that over 50,000 units have been donated to the NHS & local charities as of March end. Keep up the good work!
There are others who are thinking of their NHS neighbours right now and doing unsolicited act of kindness. One such gesture made it to the Twitter recently:
Rainbows are the new unicorns
You would be mistaken to think that kids are far behind in showing acts of kindness. In a vibrant sign of optimism, many children have been seen putting images of rainbows in their windows and one their balconies.
Creating rainbows in different forms can be a great way to encourage kids to think positively!
Helping vulnerable in self-isolation
John Lewis & Partners has donated £75,000 each to the charities Age UK, FareShare and Trussell Trust.
This funding will be used immediately to assist the most vulnerable during the crisis, providing help to those in local communities who are self-isolating or facing food insecurity.
In another campaign, charity Beauty Banks has launched an emergency appeal and (at the time of writing) it has so far raised £92,000 to pay for soap, hand sanitiser, washing powder and so on for people who don’t have the money to stockpile in the current scenario.
More than a million people in Britain have reportedly joined a Facebook help group to support their neighbours and communities in need. In an innovative and kind way to support their neighbours, hundreds of Facebook Groups which have sprung up in the last few days alone to support every member of our society during these difficult times.
Every little helps
In an effort to help small businesses during this time of crisis, Facebook is offering $100 million in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 small businesses in over 30 countries . To know more about the scheme, read below:
To remove harmful misinformation about coronavirus, Facebook has also partnered with the NHS to connect people to the latest official NHS guidance around coronavirus – both directly in their News Feeds and when people search on the topic.
Additionally, Google is committing $800 million+ in new #COVID19 response efforts. This includes $340 million in @GoogleAds credits for SMBs worldwide, $250 million in ad grants for @WHO and 100+ govt orgs globally, a $200 million investment fund for NGOs & banks to help small businesses access capital, and more.
There is hope!
Leading the way for every G20 country and to governments around the world, Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently pledged a £210 million ($253 million) donation to speed up a coronavirus vaccine. Downing Street announced that it is committed to a “transparent, robust, coordinated, large-scale and science-based global response in the spirit of solidarity.”
Such initiatives and positive gestures are the exact mood signs that brands and individuals are looking for. Let’s continue to work together and make the world a happier place through our kind gestures. Because we must not forget that ‘kindness is like magic’!