2020 has been a bumpy ride. Gemma Ferguson discusses how locals are spreading kindness in a year where it’s vitally needed.

World Kindness Day is quickly approaching, with Friday 13 November earmarked for the occasion. Local wellness advocate, Michelle Boundy, is teaming up with Hunter businesses on her Stay Kind Bathers Way 50 Challenge.

She’ll be walking the Merewether Beach to King Edward Park circuit for 50kms – that’s a hell of a trek! It is expected to take Michelle close to 10 hours to complete her mission. Luckily for her, local businesses like Newcastle Hunter and Community Health (NHCH) are joining her for the challenge.

On this special occasion, NHCH are helping Michelle promote the importance of kindness, and will also assist in fundraising for the Stay Kind Foundation. Newcastle and Hunter Community Health’s dedicated team of nurses will even be walking part of the 50kms!

Alison McQueen, NHCH Managing Director, says the team are pleased to be part of such a positive project.

“Kindness is an inherent trait for those in the nursing profession and that’s something we really need to celebrate,” Alison said.

“2020 has been a particularly challenging year for those in the healthcare profession and the kindness shown to them by the public has been heart-warming.”

Alison says it is also important to remember to continue practicing kindness, even outside of World Kindness Day.

“Being kind to others is one of the easiest ways to make a difference in someone’s life,” she said.

“A simple smile or a friendly ‘hello’ costs us nothing but can mean the world to those on the receiving end.”

Alison says it’s also essential to practice self-love on this occasion, especially since World Kindness Day is at the same time as many of our assessment deadlines!

“We also encourage our team and clients to be kind to themselves. The importance of self-care and making time for activities that improve your health and wellbeing cannot be overstated,” she said.

Michelle and a number of local business people, including the NHCH team, will begin the 50km walk at Bathers Way on World Kindness Day.

Did we hear you ask how can students help celebrate World Kindness Day?

There are loads of sites online which have inspirational ideas on how you can spread kindness. The site Random Acts of Kindness has a simple message, Make Kindness the Norm. Some easy ideas from the site include:

• Donate your unwanted treasures to your local charity shop
• Tell your teacher how much they’ve inspired you
• Cook a meal for your loved one (and do the cleaning up after)
• Leave some positive sticky notes around the house for your roomies
• Volunteer some time to a local charity or cause
• Pay someone a compliment
• Be kind to the environment, plant a tree
• Be spontaneous; commit random acts of kindness

Also check out some Yak articles like The Art of Giving, or articles on how to be kind to yourself, like Yoga: The Power & Benefits to De-stressing, Unplugged: A Day Away From Your Devices, Delicious Foods With 0 Guilt – Student Edition.

Feature Image: Tim Crakanthorp MP (on Facebook), 22 July 2020, provided with media release