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A brand new survey from Travelodge offers some upbeat news, just in time for Random Acts of Kindness Day! It shows that kindness has been the salve helping Britons get through the COVID-19 pandemic.
But it digs deeper. It ranks acts of kindness in terms of how much they have touched people in the last year, and identifies the UK’s top 10 "Kindness Heroes". It also reveals how real people behind this hotel chain have stepped up to offer support to those in need.
The hotel chain has decided to share its Kindness Report to coincide with Random Acts of Kindness Week, February 14-20.
The key findings:
Nearly half (46 percent) of Britons report that they have become kinder in order to help restore faith in humanity.
Eight out of ten Britons are do-gooders with 33 percent of them showing an act of kindness daily.
29 percent of respondents reported that offering a random act of kindness to a stranger is good karma, believing that “what goes around, comes around.”
42 percent of adults stated that that when a stranger does something nice unexpectedly, it encourages them to do something nice for someone too.
Three quarters of Britons reported that it makes their day when a stranger shows them a random act of kindness, and it’s the smallest gesture that means the most to them.
Topping the ranking of acts of kindness, was “A stranger said hello whilst I was taking a walk.” This is closely followed by being greeted with a smile from delivery drivers asking how you are, and friends reaching out to see how you’re doing.
“Our research shows that kindness is contagious and has been spreading far and wide across the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge spokeswoman told Goodnet.
It’s no surprise that the late, great Captain Sir Tom Moore tops the Kindness Heroes roll call. But that list also takes in the UK’s beloved fitness coach, Joe Wicks, who brought everyone free high intensity workouts from his living room, and royalty too.
Some caring Travelodge staff have really worked to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud. One standout story concerns a homeless woman taken under the wing of her local Travelodge.
Sandra Vaz, who became homeless after losing her job and going through a relationship breakdown, was offered temporary accommodation at a Travelodge hotel in May 2020 after sleeping in her automobile for three months. She has shared how she felt touched by the support she received from the hotel team:
“The team helped me with basic essentials and were always kind and friendly towards me, it was not long before we all became friends, the hotel manager Dawn was so supportive and always made time for me. Speaking with Dawn helped me to rebuild my confidence, as I felt broken when I arrived at the hotel.
But it gets better. Leaving the hotel three months later for sheltered housing, Sandra was offered a new start in life as a receptionist – thanks to hotel manager, Dawn Knight.
Now set to join the hotel’s management training program, and living in a home of her own, Sandra is euphoric: “I am so grateful to Dawn and her team, the kindness they showed me regained my faith in humanity and I will never forget how they supported me during the worst time of my life. They helped me to restart my life and gave me a second chance.”
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