It’s been another week of back-to-back Brexit news and frankly, it’s been exhausting. But some lovely things have also happened – and in a bid to turn a rather rubbish week into a good one, we’ve rounded up seven kindness stories to uplift and inspire.
We’ve spent December talking to selfless people who have done amazing things, and sharing their stories – because let’s face it, they need shouting about – while also highlighting the ways in which you can be kinder this month (and beyond).
You can find a story every day in our HumanKind advent calendar 2018, or for the time-starved, here’s what was behind advent doors eight to 14. Find out more about the series, and uncover new stories daily here.
Day Eight: Handmade Christmas Cards To Brighten The Days Of Those Struggling With Illness
Ruby Jones has had her fair share of bad luck. Earlier this year she was left bed-bound for six months after suffering a cerebrospinal fluid leak. That’s as painful as it sounds.
During those months of pain, she would speak to people online who were also living with chronic illness or disability. Wanting to bring some cheer to these people’s lives, she set up Chronically Cute Cards, a project by which she hand-makes cards and sends them to strangers, free of charge. The cards vary in design, but mainly include uplifting, positive messages and cute or funny illustrations.
Day Nine: This Brilliant Battersea Volunteer Spends Christmas Helping Abandoned Dogs
This will be the fifth Christmas Day that Angela Cox has spent with rescue animals at Battersea, walking and training dogs.
The 69-year-old from south west London will aim to be at Battersea for 11am, and will spend the rest of the day keeping the dogs company. There will be a Christmas lunch and decorations around the site. “It’s a really nice atmosphere,” says Angela. “Things are very social there, which is nice.”
Day 10: The Joy Of Hosting Refugees At Christmas
When Karina Litvack meets somebody new, she’ll often show them a photo of her ‘children’. One of them is her biological daughter Gabriela; the other is Basel, a refugee who has been living with her for a year and a half now. “Basel is like my son,” Karina, 55, told HuffPost UK. “I love him to bits.”
We caught up with Karina and another host Penelope about what it’s like hosting refugees over Christmas. Spoiler alert: it’s a really lovely read (if we do say so ourselves).
Day 11: Six Places To Volunteer This Christmas
More than nine million people are considering volunteering over the festive period, according to new statistics from the Royal Voluntary Service. If you’re one of them, we’ve found six national charities who are looking for a helping hand.
Day 12: Bring Joy To Kids In Need With These Lovely Ideas
Christmas is a magical time for a lot of children. But for some, there are no gifts, and no excited wait for Santa; it can be a really tough and lonely time. In fact this year 21,265 children living in poverty won’t receive any presents, according to research conducted by The Childhood Trust.
But there are ways you can bring a smile to a child’s face. From buying Christmas toys for them via Amazon wish lists to funding a pantomime for disabled kids, these ideas aim to ensure no one misses out on the fun.
Day 13: Watch Toddlers And The Elderly Sing Christmas Songs To Fight Loneliness
The Together Project runs intergenerational activities that bring joy to people’s lives – people like 103-year-old Dora and baby Amelia, who isn’t even a year old.
‘Songs and Smiles’ is one of these activities. It sees mums bringing their babies and toddlers to care homes for music workshops. Events like this aim to reduce loneliness and improve wellbeing. We attended the Christmas session to see what it’s all about.
Day 14: Nine Ways You Can Help Animals This Christmas
Winter can be a tough time for animals: wild birds and mammals face food and water shortages, while domestic animals face their own set of difficulties, including being abandoned in shelters after being purchased for Christmas.
If you want to help animals this winter (and who wouldn’t?), we’ve compiled a list of nine ways to give back.
Read the full story.
HumanKind is HuffPost’s celebration of kindness, featuring people who do incredible things for others or the planet – transforming lives through small but significant acts. Get involved by joining us on Facebook. You can also nominate those who deserve to be shouted about by filling in this form or emailing natasha.hinde@huffpost.com.