Just over a week ago, myself, Rachel Ducker (Apparition Designs) and Helen Oldfield (Affinity PR) joined forces to launch our campaign for random acts of kindness to coincide with World Mental Health Day 2011.

On the lead up to World Mental Health Day regular tweets on kindness including how it is linked to wellbeing and good business practice were published under the twitter hashtag #kindsuffolk, and we all took to our individual networks to spread the word and put kindness in the spotlight.

Sheena Grant, journalist for the East Anglian Daily Times produced a lovely article about my journey, The Mind Sanctuary and Random Acts of Kindness Day along with a lovely coincidental insight into kindness that we both experienced when we met for the interview.  Leslie Dolphin also took hold of the kindness gauntlet and interviewed me on her afternoon show on World Mental Health Day – to discuss the link between kindness and mental wellbeing.  Ipswich Community Radio, also showed great interest and enthusiasm during their breakfast shows covering Suffolk Health and Wellbeing Month –  and friends and colleagues rippled the word out through the local business community, through Suffolk County Council and out to Suffolk New College and the UCS.

Stories of kind pledges gathered in virtual space, a number of which made their way to my twitter account, facebook page or email inbox.

Pledges included acts such as:

• Buying cakes for everyone in the office
• Buying coffee for a stranger in town
• Taking time out to pay extra thanks to people for their help and support
• Baking a cake for a dear friend who loves cakes
• Taking the day to start a new commitment to making a point of offering one act of kindness every day
• Being mindful of taking care to smile at strangers and generally offer warmth and smiles to everyone
• Giving out free flapjacks to people in town

Through to wonderful facebook status updates such as this:

Someone posted the other day can’t remember who, something like how about a random act of kindness. It really got me thinking so I’ve managed to sponsor a loan for a lady in rawanda to get a sewing machine. World Vision have lots of different things you can sponsor from 10 quid a month onwards for a year that could really make a difference to someone in these difficult times. I’m only posting this because if one other person does it too, then someone else may have an opportunity if sponsored. Anyway checkout world vision website.

Rachel Ducker wrote a lovely blog post about her experiences of kindness throughout the day, which you can read at the following link.

Diary of Random Acts of Kindness Day – by Rachel Ducker

Here are a few photos from my day, where Random Acts of Kindness, World Mental Health Day and Suffolk Health and Wellbeing Month, all came together to create a day to remember…

Me and Suzanne Mildenhall from Workwise

Workwise held an open day on World Mental Health Day which also coincided with their 25th Anniversary.

I popped in to see what they were up to and say hello.

Workwise offer workbased rehabilitation and training in a wide range of skills, including amongst many, craft work

I spent a most of my visit having THE most interesting and engaging conversation about mental health and different therapeutic approaches/philosophies with Lucy – a trainee at Workwise. (thank you Lucy!)

Next stop was Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre in Ipswich, where a wellbeing shop was opened for the day. Here’s a rather pregnant me sampling some hand reflexology from Penny Simmonds of Time for You – who offer free therapeutic services to independent carers.

Before whizzing off to Radio Suffolk I popped in to another shop, where Art on The Move were holding a wonderful art exhibition. Art on The Move displays works of art by people who have experienced mental health issues and have found a therapeutic outlet through creativity and art.

There was a wonderful display of artwork

I then nipped to Radio Suffolk with Zero Balancing Therapist Helen Roberts, who came along for moral support.  Leslie Dolphin gave us lovely air time to talk about kindness and wellbeing, helping us to spread the message further.

After the radio I had to dash the car park to top up my parking ticket, but found myself in one of those frustrating positions where I had no change. Helen kindly paid for my ticket with the change in her purse. I accepted her offer of kindness whole heartedly!! Thank you Helen!! There’ll be more features from Helen in the coming weeks. She provides a wonderful therapy called Zero Balancing and has kindly offered to support me with treatments throughout my pregnancy.

Having ensured I didn’t fall to the perils of any wandering traffic wardens, I said goodbye to Helen, who returned to the wellbeing shop to offer FREE Zero Balancing taster sessions, while I headed off to Ipswich library for singing rehearsals!!!

There was a fantastic turn out for the flashmob singing rehearsal in a lecture room next door to the library. Here’s a picture of us all warming up.

We then headed to the library in disguised single trails and started to meander around the bookshelves, before randomly breaking out into song!!

Then back to the rehearsal room for tea and cake!!!

I was delighted to bump into a number of colleagues from the local business community, including fellow team member and campaigner, Helen Oldfield of Affinity PR and Alan Scott, Newsletter Genie and  author of one of our inspirational stories – Climbing Out of The Dark. Check out Helen’s cake – which her friend kindly baked for her to celebrate Random Acts of Kindness. Helen has a thing about cakes!!

It was an amazing day for kindness and mental health. So brilliant to see so many people coming together to raise awareness of mental health issues.  In terms of Random Acts of Kindness, well many people involved in organising and holding all of the Health and Wellbeing Events across Suffolk, including the ones I have mentioned here, go way beyond the call of duty to offer support to those who need it – giving time, dedication, commitment, passion and most of all compassion…   You don’t get much kinder than that!!  A huge well done to everyone involved!!!

Whilst Random Acts of Day itself is over, we will continue to publish articles and updates about kindness to keep the ball rolling! Mental Health is for life, not just for World Mental Health Day – it goes without saying that the same applies to kindness!!  Do get in touch if you’d like to share your experiences of kindness!

Suffolk Health and Wellbeing Month – is still in full swing for the rest of October.  Check out the events page to find events near you!