Many of our stories have focused on the kindness in just the UK, but kindness is everywhere. As #FourForApril continues I will be doing my best show more of the good across the globe. Stay lovely đź’š
Teddy bear hunt spreads worldwide to help children smile
People from across the globe have been placing teddy bears in windows to give children a fun and safe activity while walking around neighbourhoods with parents.
The lovely idea was inspired by the children’s book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, written by Michael Rosen, who is “continuing to improve” after it was confirmed he tested positive for COVID-19.
Stuffed animals have been spotted all around the world, including from Indonesia to Finland.
Even New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joined in the fun, placing two bears in the window of her house in Wellington.
You can read more of this heartwarming story here.
Doctor kicked out over coronavirus overwhelmed with help sets up website listing accommodation for NHS staff
A Doctor who was kicked out of his rented room by a landlady worried about coronavirus has created a website to help any NHS staff who are having problems with accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Joseph Alsousou was inundated with offers of help and support from people and organisations across Oxford and beyond after his landlady kicked him out of his rented property.
The Royal College of Surgeons and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust got in touch to offer support, offering guidance to NHS staff to help them find places to stay during the coronavirus outbreak.
Joseph then created rooms4nhs.com which has a form that people and organisations can fill in to either offer a place to stay or put in a request for accommodation.
He told Oh My Goodness: “My inspiration to set up the website was my own and others stories of worried landlords asking NHS staff to leave. Also many NHS Staff are being redeployed which means they will need somewhere to stay.
“I didn’t want anyone to go through my experience and since I had amazing support [from] the British public I decided to try to help others by linking landlords and NHS workers who need a place to stay during covid.”
Joseph revealed that already thousands of British people have registered to offer rooms, houses, flats and even whole buildings to help NHS staff working against COVID-19, true kindness at its finest.
You can read more about the lovely outcome of this story here.
Premier League clubs join the fight against coronavirus
Football has come under a lot of criticism in this crisis. This whole thing is bigger than any sport, and while many have their own opinion the matter, many teams have been doing their bit to offer support.
We already mentioned the amazing donations from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but here are a few more of our favourites:
- Arsenal’s Community Volunteers have been helping to transport NHS workers across London
- The Aston Villa Foundation organised and distributed food and drinks from the Villa Park kiosks to hospitals in Birmingham
- AFC Bournemouth have been calling vulnerable supporters throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and a player got involved
- Crystal Palace’s home ground Selhurst Park has been used for blood donations for the NHS
- Everton have been running online exercise sessions for older fans
- Liverpool’s players and foundation have donated to a local food bank
- Watford offered their stadium to NHS staff to support the fight against coronavirus
You can learn more about the great work clubs and their staff are doing on the thread below.
Oprah Winfrey has pledged $10 million to coronavirus relief efforts
$1 million of the large donation will go to America’s Food Fund, which works with established hunger relief organizations, Feeding America and World Central Kitchen.
Other funds will go to a GoFundMe page started by Leonardo DiCaprio, which will also benefit the two hunger and food relief organisations Feeding America and World Central Kitchen, led by CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot.
Currently, World Central Kitchen is preparing over 100,000 meals a day for those in need, as it works to deliver fresh meals, put restaurants back to work, feed frontline health care workers, and map their efforts. Feeding America is working with food banks across the US as well as partnering with local school districts to ensure vulnerable adults and children continue to have access to food assistance amidst the pandemic.
Oprah is of course not the only celebrity who has committed a large sum to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Ralph Lauren, announced a $10 million donation from his company as well as production of 250,000 masks and 25,000 hospital gowns for health care workers.
Rihanna, who donated $5 million to COVID-19 response efforts, Arnold Schwarzenegger and James McAvoy are just a few of the many others who have shown their true kindness in these dark times.
Bonus positive
For the second Thursday in a row, as part of #ClapForNHS, people across Britain stood outside their homes and applauded NHS workers for all the incredible work they do đź‘Źđź’š
Every day in April, we will be sharing four positive news stories in one post under the hashtag #FourForApril. Got any kindness stories? Send them in! We’d love the world to hear about these good deeds by good people 🙂
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