“Are you hungry?”
It was these 3 words that set off a catalyst of events that resulted in the creation of Treacle.me.
The words were uttered after one of the simplest and yet most powerful acts of kindness there is, to simply listen. Kindness can be seen in oh so many ways if you spend just a few minutes surfing YouTube. But many of them are flashy displays of wealth and resources often made with good camera angles and great lighting. In reality, there are simple gestures that anyone can make, which can have a significant impact on someone else’s day. I truly believe that listening is somewhere close to the top of this list.
With time but no money, you can volunteer to help at a range of organisations. On Treacle there are volunteer opportunities in all sorts of areas of community life. Even without time or money you can hold a door open, let a car out in heavy traffic, give a compliment or call an elderly relative who would love to hear from you. The list is endless.
Radio 4 has recently launched www.thekindnesstest.org which is a project aimed at increasing our understanding of the role that kindness plays in our lives. Earlier this year the Independent ran an article that discussed how kindness has increased since the start of the Covid pandemic. there are so many people going about their daily lives bestowing acts of kindness in wonderful ways. There are so many who would love to help, support and care for those they love, but simply don’t know how or where to start. Well, that has just got a whole lot easier with the start of Treacle.
Kindness starts right here
- Log on to www.treacle.me
- Choose the area of support you are looking for
- Click on the signpost to find the most specific support available for your need.
There are much wiser people in this world who have put it better than I ever could; Desmond Tutu once said “Do your bit of good where you are; it is those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
In recent years the concept of kindness has come under scientific scrutiny, with some studies suggesting that practising kindness can actually help prolong life. So, if it is a matter of life and death what is stopping us? Let’s get out there and show some kindness today.